


Changed

by HeathenVampires



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon will be politely told to fuck off, Cloudfire, Eret learns some truths, F/M, Feral Vigilante Dragon Lady, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, Pre-How To Train Your Dragon 2, awkward dorks, meets a son of an Eret, rating changed!, reference to dragon injuries and death sometimes, seriously these four are all idiots, stubborn trapper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2019-11-18 06:03:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 88,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18114782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeathenVampires/pseuds/HeathenVampires
Summary: Pre-HTTYD2. Eret, son of Eret, finest dragon trapper alive. At least, until a rogue dragon vigilante and a reckless Stormcutter or two crash into his life and turn what he thought he knew upside down. Valka/Eret





	1. Chapter 1

**(yeah I was meant to wait but this story has taken me over)**

**A couple I always intended to write and never quite got to (I mean there's Dragon Lady but that's a threesome)...**

**Valka x Eret! It's a sort of... pre HTTYD2 divergence. Like... two or three years before HTTYD2.  
**

-HTTYD-

She slipped from Cloudjumpers back with barely a sound, landing on some grass near the patch of ground where the cages were kept. It was a stop-over island, where those who captured dragons waited to meet those who bought them. An excellent spot to break the chain of supply to demand. And, as Valka knew, it was a night when the buyers wouldn't be coming, and so the only guards were the sailors themselves - largely drunk or unconscious at that hour.

Cloudjumper landed next to her, padding along ready to help pick locks with the wonderfully dextrous hooks on his wings. Several dragons were still sedated, but a few were waking up and Valka had to try to settle them before they raised the alarm.

"Hush... it's alright. You're safe. Come on Cloudjumper."

Valka scuttled along to the next cage, picking the lock herself with a thin piece of metal she'd found worked on most, The juvenile Typhoomerang grumbled in thanks before taking flight immediately. She would have gone after it, but they didn't have time and Valka knew they would probably catch up on the flight home. At least his deep green colouring meant he wasn't _too_ distinctive against the night sky, unlike the bright orange Windgnasher she was freeing.

"Shh, we'll take you somewhere safe. Don't worry my dear."

The dragon pushed against her outstretched hand, still trembling with fear but he was freed, and so she must have seemed safer to him than his captors.

"Hey! That dragons out of its cage!"

Odin, they must have spotted Cloudjumper. Valka rattled her staff, instructing Cloudjumper to finish retrieving the rescues. As she headed to see if the approaching humans were armed, she spotted a dragon by itself, curled up rather sadly and her heart _ached_ for the poor creature. If they hadn't bothered caging it, they obviously had no hopes it would survive but left it dying where the other dragons could only watch, helpless.

Swelling with rage, Valka raised her staff - it was designed to be safe for dragons, but not people. Three trappers rushed closer and Valka surged forward, knocking the one closest down before he'd had chance to draw his sword. The other two both swung, her staff blocking bloth blades before she backed up, swiped, sent both staggering.

"Cloudjumper!"

Her dragon roared, the metallic creak of another cage drowned out by an angry roar as her new Windgnasher friend leapt in, spitting icy blasts at the trappers and trying to put himself between them and Valka.

How did anyone ever misunderstand these wonderful, _beautiful_ creatures?

She rattled her staff in signal to the dragon on guard - Incognito, a Changewing chosen specially for raids as he could _hide._ Incognito got the message, appearing from nowhere and telling the dragons to follow him, he'd lead them back to the sanctuary. Cloudjumper finished opening the final cage, freeing a Zippleback who took off after the others quickly while her Stormcutter approached Valka, rearing up and flaring his fins with an angry roar.

If that dragon was dying, Valka would not let it die in such a gods-forsaken place. And there might have been something she could do for it. Creeping closer while Cloudjumper watched the trappers, Valka identified the spine crown that said Nadder, spines almost flat to their head saying this dragon was quite sick. She worried they would not survive the trip back, but Valka knew she had to try. Cloudjumper nodded to her silent look, scooping her onto his head and using his tail to scatter the trappers before spreading his wings, carefully lifting the Nadder with his legs. Valka knew they could hold tight if needed; she'd been carried by them herself that first night.

"Hey! Get back here!"

"Go Cloudjumper!"

They took off at speed, a bumpy rise but they were soon in the air, flying away from that awful place. Incognito had done an aerial swoop, and the island was only being used by that crew tonight. Several parts of the ocean were frozen, slowing the sailors down. It certainly made Valka's task easier for the moment.

As they flew, Valka smiled to see the Windgnasher flying close by her. There was always one that seemed extra thankful to her, one that stuck close by on the fly home. The flight would have been almost pleasant, if not for the worry over the Nadder Cloudjumper carried, and the sight of a ship that clearly sought to pose threat to dragons. She spotted two in ropes already, asking Cloudjumper to drop her down but keep the Nadder safe. The crew were recognisable, or at least, their tattoos were. She'd definitely dealt with this trapper tribe before.

"It's the Dragon Rider!"

Cloudjumper was an excellent shot; his torus of flame didn't so much as graze Valka, but it scattered the trappers. She used the dagger strapped to her thigh to cut the ropes on the dragons, the Windgnasher bravely ducking down to retrieve her. Valka turned to check the dragons - a Snafflefang and a Nightmare - were taking off, before they all headed on to get them back safely.

The Windgnasher jolted, but Valka thought little of it - some dragons found having a human on their back odd, and she'd only need to stay there until it was safe to move back to Cloudjumper. They put a good few miles between them and the trappers before daring to slow down, though in dragon terms that was not much time at all. Valka leapt over to Cloudjumper, rubbing his horn affectionately.

"Let's go!"

Valka didn't notice, not until they were almost back. And by then it was too late. He'd lost consciousness, but given the speed and altitude they'd flown, that wasn't surprising. She was used to the thin air, but most would not be. Hanging from the Windgnashers claws was one of the trappers, hidden from her and Cloudjumpers views as they flew higher up. If she dropped him, he'd likely die from exposure, and that would make her no better than those who left the Nadder out to die, alone in the cold. If she took him back to his fellow trappers, that risked the dragon she flew back on.

And she didn't have _time._ That Nadder needed her.

There was nothing else for it. She would have to take him with her, and deal with him later. Valka disarmed him quickly, tossed his swords out of the way and turned to grab her box of herbs and salves before she headed to the sick dragon.

"Watch him, would you?"

Cloudjumper nodded, keeping watch as Valka dropped to her knees, searching for and treating a few injuries. She sent a few dragons to fetch water and fish, then called over several more Nadders to come closer. Dragons liked warmth from their kin best, and the sickly Nadder _needed_ warmth. Barely any energy went into swallowing the fish, and Valka practically had to pour water and a few herbs down the Nadders throat, but the pack around her got the message quickly and surrounded their fellow dragon, a couple even extending their wings to aid the warmth.

It was touch and go, but gods the dragon had a better chance there than back on the island.

Sighing, Valka got back up and went over to the human, still not entirely sure what to _do_ with him. If she took him back now, unconscious, he wouldn't know where they were to be able to lead anyone back. Just as she decided to ask Cloudjumper if he was up to it, the man began to stir. His eyes opened slow, sluggish, then wide and surprised as he found dragon and rider very close to him, unfamiliar ground beneath him.

"W-where am I?"

"Safe."

His skin was an unhealthy shade of pale, and Valka remembered he'd passed out from cold and thin air. A pointed nod to Cloudjumper had him fetching the nearest pelt of fur, which he flung toward the human as rudely as possible short of setting it on fire. It landed near, and he must have been cold as the trapper snatched it up and wrapped it around himself, clumsily, with one hand.

"T-take me b-back!"

"No. For starters, I doubt you would survive the flight. And secondly, I can't have you leading someone back here. Just... stay there while I think."

Without really thinking, Valka took off her helmet to rub her face, not used to wearing it in the nest.

"Wow. R-really is a w-woman u-under there."

His trembling wasn't abating, Valka noticed, even as she kicked herself for revealing her _face_ to someone who hunted dragons. She was careful not to be seen, so if she visited a traders island nobody would recognise her.

"What's wrong with you?"

"N-nothing."

He hunched in on himself, wincing.

"Are you hurt?"

Valka may disapprove entirely of what he did, and if one got injured fighting to recapture dragons she was rescuing? That was their own stupid fault; dragons were allowed to defend themselves. But she had some basic compassion for a wounded human, and by the state of him Valka almost wondered if she'd missed that he was bleeding. It seemed unlikely - he'd been prone on the ground, and his tunic was light at the sides.

"N-no. J-just... t-take me b-back."

The colour drained out of his face, and from his hunched sitting position, the man still keeled over. Valka rolled her eyes - clearly, he _was_ hurt - and moved over, watching closely in case it was a feint but as soon as she pulled away the pelt, she saw his own fur wrap had slumped along with him, exposing a dark bloodstain on the fabric over his chest. Since he appeared unconscious, Valka peeled the material away, wincing herself when she saw his chest.

_Branded._

She knew Drago was cruel and vile, but she hadn't realised he went as far as branding his workforce as well as his dragons. Though, she supposed to him, they were all the same. Disposable.

"Keep watch, I need more things to treat him."

After a minute, Valka changed tack and had a _very_ wary Cloudjumper carry him along, dropping him next to the firepit in Valka's own quarters. His chills wouldn't help, and she needed the water to clean him up. Wiping the blood away, she saw the angry lines beneath and knew it was fairly fresh, healing delayed by how hard it was not to pull on the skin as it tried to knit back together. He must have leapt up to try and drag the Windgnasher down - _that_ was what she felt - and by the time Valka realised, he'd long succumbed to injury or exposure or both.

Valka coated a piece of cloth in honey, moving to press it to his chest when he woke up, immediately shuffling away from her only to yelp and try to move away from Cloudjumper at his other side.

"Relax. He won't hurt you. I'm just treating your wound."

"I-I don't n-need your help!"

"Then put this on yourself, but it's going on."

He took it from her outstretched hand as though it might burn him, and it probably cost him more pain to apply it himself than was worth the pride of denying Valka's assistance, but he managed to press it down over the mark there with a hiss of pain.

"Satisfied?"

"Not really. Stay there and warm up. I can't take you back if you freeze to death."

Valka brewed up tea, just for something to do, and handed it to his uninjured side insistently before settling back with her own cup full. He frowned at the taste, but didn't stop drinking. All the more unsure what to do now, Valka sighed. She hadn't taken him to the deeper cave, where the Bewilderbeast sat, but he had still seen a lot, and would see more if he was conscious for the trip back. Valka had a few herbs that would knock him out, but might be risky while he was so weak.

Gods, why hadn't she just dropped him?

"If you know whats good for you, you will stay there and warm up. I won't be long. Keep guard Cloudjumper."

She headed out to check on the Nadder, pleased to see their breathing had improved slightly. There was a chance after all. Valka smiled, cheered by the sight of the dragon pile. She dispensed strokes and nuzzles to a few dragons, then went back to her 'guest'. He hadn't moved, though with an enormous Stormcutter looming over him, Valka wasn't surprised.

"You should rest. I'll figure out what to do with you later. There's water in that jug, and a mess bucket just through there. Dragons might come in, but despite what you think, I'd wager you are safer here than with Drago."

He frowned, shaking his head.

"Safe. Dragons. Right."

Valka shrugged, undoing her armour and setting it to the side, stretching her shoulders out and feeling eyes on her.

"What?"

"What's your name?"

"Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, then regretted it if the pain on his face was anything to go by.

"Cus calling you 'angry dragon lady' in my head is really long."

What good would a name do him? Valka had been off the grid for over fifteen years now.

"Valka."

He nodded, mouthing it to himself and grabbing the pelt next to him. Valka doubted he'd _want_ to sleep, but exhaustion would set in - thanks to the tea she gave him, a brew she used when she couldn't sleep herself. She wasn't too keen on sleeping herself, but Cloudjumper was nearby, and Valka never felt safer than with her dragon.

She'd almost dozed off when his voice broke the silence again.

"Eret. My name is Eret."

-HTTYD-

**Yeah, I know, Gobber/Eret and whatever but I have been meaning to write these two for ages and this idea just sort of... solidified with a little help tonight. So here we go.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Honestly I forgot how much I ship these two until I started writing this. I knew that I did. Just not as hugely as I actually do.**

**On we go!**

-HTTYD-

Cloudjumper woke her, confusing Valka as she sat up rubbing her eyes. What was so urgent? He wasn't raising an alarm, so it didn't seem like a dragon-hunter emergency or anything. Only when she opened her eyes properly did she see Eret, the trapper she had accidentally brought back with them the night before. He was shuddering, trembling despite the fur and the fire. Frowning, Valka got up and crossed over, tossing another log onto the fire as she went - the room had cooled, though it wasn't cold enough to warrant Eret's violent shakes.

His skin was clammy, soaked in sweat and despite apparently being awake, Eret barely seemed to notice she was there. Carefully, she peeled away his tunic and saw that he hadn't covered the whole thing in honey dressing, and perhaps it had let something bad in while the rest was encouraged to heal.

"Hold his arms down, as gently as you can. This won't be pleasant."

Valka took off the dressing, used some hot water to wipe away the mess on his chest and Cloudjumper's assistance was definitely needed. Eret twisted, whining in pain but Valka persisted - badness so close to his heart? It would surely take him over. When she felt he was clean, she applied a healing salve before a fresh honey dressing. Eret continued to fight against it, but Cloudjumper held firm until his human was finished.

"All done now. Drink this."

It was cold, but the water had still steeped the herbs and so it ought to help send him back to sleep. Eret spilled half down his front as he shook, but she got some of it into him and sat watching until it kicked in about ten minutes later. He looked tense still in slumber, but Valka hoped he'd be better soon. Then she could work out what to do with him. For now he was just... another ward of hers, really. Only with less scales.

She left to check on any of her sick or injured dragons - the Nadder was still weak, but back on her feet and able to eat and drink for herself before retreating back into the dragon pile. Bolstered, Valka continued on, dabbing ointment on a few torn wings or damaged scales and dispensing many a chin scratch or ear rub or belly tickle as she went, ensuring those who weren't able to fly had been brought meals by those who could. It was a simple life, really, minus the whole vigilante outings, and Valka adored it.

Valka had to spend the entire day mostly watching over Eret, putting him back to sleep and cleansing the irritated wound until finally, early evening brought him around in a slightly more lucid state. He was still feverish, but when Valka asked if he was hungry, he nodded. His expression said he didn't like her cooking, but he ate it anyway.

"I feel terrible."

"Your wound is aggravated. You won't be doing much other than recovering for a few days now. Which is terribly annoying."

"A... _annoying_?"

"Yes. I have dragons to save, but I can hardly leave you here alone can I?"

Eret shrugged, then thought better of it as it pulled on his chest.

"Guess not. Although what you think I'd do against a couple dozen dragons by _myself_ , while injured, I don't know. Especially since you took my swords."

Valka smiled to herself. If he thought that was all there was? She wouldn't disillusion him. Still, at least he was underestimating the threat.

"I'm more concerned you would try to escape. I can't have you leading _your kind_ back here."

"I don't even know where I am."

She rolled her eyes.

"You're a sailor. I doubt it would take more than a night sky for you to find your way."

Eret frowned, then nodded.

"Fair. I am an excellent navigator."

If he was trying to convince her to let him go, Eret was doing a _terrible_ job of it. He jumped suddenly, confusing Valka until she realised he was noticing the dragon sneaking in to her space. She was so used to it, it didn't instantly occur to her he wouldn't be.

"They come and go all the time."

Valka reached out to the juvenile, feeling bumpy scales under her hand as she rubbed the Gronckle head.

"Who's a good boy? Yes you are!"

The Gronckle wagged their tail happily, nuzzling and bumping against Valka's chest with a happy rumble.

"That thing can literally swallow you whole and you are playing with it like its a harmless little kitten."

Eret was watching them with visible nerves in his face, obviously worried that the dragon might turn at any moment. Valka contemplated simply telling him to try, but training a trapper to befriend a dragon, gain its trust? That didn't sound _smart._

"He is harmless. Look at him."

Valka continued, mindful not to scratch under the chin - Gronckles didn't like that, it could irritate their throats. Cloudjumper began to get a bit jealous, huffing and rustling his wings with a little rumble. Throwing her dragon an indulgent look, Valka patted the Gronckle gently and stood to head over, scratching his chin scales until Cloudjumper was all but purring happily.

"If you don't harm them, they won't harm you."

* * *

The sooner Eret got over his branding, the better. Because then the mad dragon woman might let him go, rather than treating him like a sick dragon.

Actually, no, she liked the sick dragons more. He saw it in her face, the way she sat next to a sickly _Deadly Nadder,_ like it didn't have deadly in the name, or poison-coated tail spines, or explosive fire-breath and she just... stroked it. Eret wasn't allowed to leave her rooms without her, but he spent half his time sedated by Valka so he'd stop fussing with his healing injury anyway. It was clear she didn't want him there, and Eret certainly didn't want to be there, but he believed her well enough when she said they were on an island with nowhere nearby - where else would a crazy dragon vigilante set up to hoard fifty dragons as pets?

Her... favourite, he guessed, she had actually named. Some of the others had names, based on her calling them things like 'Lump' and 'Sailback'. But not all of them. Cloudjumper was the biggest, and he was the one who stuck by Valka like a rash unless she asked him to watch Eret. _He_ definitely didn't like Eret, nor the guard duty, but he kept it up dutifully and barely took his eyes off Eret.

"I can do this myself you know."

"Last time I let you, you had a fever overnight. Hold still or Cloudjumper will do it for me."

Valka wiped the hot cloth across his chest, wiping away blood and salve residue to leave the stark, clear shape of the brand beneath it.

"What made you earn this then? I didn't know Drago branded his humans as well as his dragons, though I suppose he has no respect for either."

She obviously knew about Drago, and the way she spat his name and grit her teeth even as she touched him with unerring tenderness said she did not agree with Bludvist in the slightest. Eret supposed he could understand how their ideas clashed.

"I turned up without dragons to sell."

The knuckles of her hands turned white as her fists clenched, and for a second Eret seriously expected her to slam them into his chest. He was vulnerable, really. It wouldn't take much for her to order a dragon to roast him alive, and 'Cloudjumper' was watching closely.

"And that's really where you want to go rushing back to?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Valka _shoved_ him; his uninjured side, thankfully, then continued on applying the pot of salve to his wound like nothing had happened.

"It means... you have been here for three days now" had it really been that long? "and even in your condition, you can't have missed that not a single dragon has hurt you. The man you claim loyalty to branded you like a possession, and without a healer you might well have died of this wound out at sea. And Drago would have replaced you easily. But all you ever talk about is getting back. Then again, I never did understand humans."

Eret frowned, hissing as she applied fresh bandages to him, having taken to wrapping an extra layer all the way around his chest to hold it in place so he could sleep without it slipping. He tugged his tunic back on while Valka moved away to wash her hands, grimacing at the dried bloodstain but the dragon place was pretty chilly and he had nothing else to wear. Valka didn't seem to mind, but perhaps she'd acclimatised.

"You have lived with humans though, I can tell. What brought you here?"

Valka's facial expressions were remarkably unguarded, but then she wore a mask in front of people and only bared her face to dragons. There was pain in her face, and Eret briefly regretted asking before reminding himself he didn't care about her, he just wanted to leave.

"Many things, none of which are your business. Eat your soup."

"When are you letting me go?"

"Provided I think you'll survive the flight after I knock you out" after she _what?_ "soon."

"Knock me out?"

"I'm not having you know where we are. So you're not leaving consciously."

"Can't you just... blindfold me?"

Eret had no intentions of being blindfolded or unconscious, but he wanted to play along now his brain was turning over. Valka shrugged, left him eating the gods-awful liquid she called soup. This woman really could not cook, but she refused to let Eret help, as though he might have stashed poison somewhere.

They spent the rest of that evening in silence, broken only by quiet murmurs between her and Cloudjumper. Eret observed her, quiet and contemplative. Having only seen her before in full freaky vigilante get-up, he had honestly been surprised to discover she was so... _tiny._ Not in height - she stood eye-to-eye with Eret, maybe a hair shorter. But in build, the strength of the woman who took down trappers that wrestled Monstrous Nightmares was belied by her thin frame, hands delicate despite the callouses on her palms and fingers and that feral, _screaming_ fury who flung herself into battle had a soft, lilting voice that sought to soothe terrified fire-breathing reptiles.

He'd seen her tear open heavy cages with her bare hands, body slam a guy twice her width. The way she moved with Cloudjumper was instinctive, practiced; she didn't have to be looking his way to duck when her dragon swooped in to the fight. He watched her move amongst a little group of Hobblegrunts when she let Eret up to stretch his legs, utterly at ease, not the slightest bit afraid of them. Every time Eret jumped because a few thousand pounds of scaly, fiery killer crept up behind him, she rolled her eyes as though _he_ was the one acting weird.

"I... have a deal for you."

He looked up from the parchment he was doodling on, finding his 'captor'. Valka already had her armour on, helmet and staff in hands.

"I'm listening. Not that I have much choice."

"I have to go, tonight. If you stay here and cause no problem, I will drop you off in a couple of days time at one of the trading islands dragon hunters use. I imagine your crew will wash up there eventually?"

"You're... leaving me here. By myself. You trust me here?"

Valka shook her head.

"Not remotely. But the dragons can defend themselves against one injured, unarmed hunter. And I can't take you with me on a rescue. So, stay out of trouble for a few hours and I promise to free you soon. Your wound is healing up after all."

Only after Eret agreed keenly did he realise that meant he was left unarmed and alone with _lots of dragons_. There was an awful rumbling, the sound of rocks shifting against their will and a heavy splash. Then the noises stopped, and Valka was gone and so was Cloudjumper and that one she called Incognito, that Eret had only even seen once - Changewing.

Ignoring the faint stab of guilt - despite everything, Valka had shown him nothing but kindness and patience - Eret waited a little time to be sure they were gone before he got up slowly from his bedding pile by the fire, groaning at the protest from his guts. Days of Valka's 'cooking' was not good for him, but years on a ship had given him a strong stomach. He was in too good a place to not at least _look_ where he was. Whether he gave that information to Drago...

Eret realised, quite quickly, that he had no clue where he was. The place _felt_ big, parts of the rocky ceiling quite high and more still made of icy patches where sunlight filtered in during the day. He wondered what sort of dragon did that. It didn't look natural, and it didn't melt either. He picked a direction he hoped was away from the centre, and began working his way through the corridors. They went all sorts of ways, some only navigatable by literally leaping or climbing up a few feet. No wonder Valka was so thin and strong - her nest was a workout all by itself. Eret was in good shape himself, slightly-life-threatening-infection aside, and even he felt the burn in his legs as he clambered around.

How Cloudjumper fit was a mystery in itself. After what felt like _hours,_ Eret could smell sea air, salty and wet and familiar. Heart pounding, he sped up toward the smell, stumbling in his haste as he got closer, closer...

and found his way blocked by a veritable wall of scales, three big dragons all perched side by side and he just _knew_ Valka had expected him to try it, that she'd set up guards to stop him leaving and finding out where they were. It was probably unreasonable to feel slighted she expected of him, especially since she had been right. Knowing he wasn't going to get past them all unarmed - he needed to get his swords back - Eret reluctantly retreated, somehow certain the dragons would tell on him to Valka. Maybe it would make her more keen to get rid of him.

He found his way back easily enough, straightening up in the wider space and groaning to himself. His chest was aching now, but there was no fresh blood leaking through his bandages. Eret meandered for a little while, unsure what to do but unwilling to just go back to Valka's room and pretend he hadn't moved. The roar he'd already learned to be unique to Cloudjumper made him jump, had him whipping around before finally looking _up_ and seeing the four winged dragon swoop down from a hidden spot that let him in and, presumably, out. There were several dragons with him, some carrying sacks and a couple carrying barrels. And one, he noticed, carrying another dragon.

He felt blood splatter over him from above as they came to land where he stood, Valka tossing her helmet as she sprung from Cloudjumpers back and beckoned the one carrying injured dragon toward her. The injured one was in distress, thrashing and wailing and coughing up dribbles of fire - out of shots. From his vantage point, Eret couldn't see the injury, legs carrying him forward to try and investigate.

"Eret, no! Stay back!"

Valka wasn't even _looking,_ and if she could hear him walking over the wailing sounds of the dragon he'd be amazed. And yet, he found himself stilling as she fussed around the dragon, pointing toward something and Cloudjumper immediately moved, dragging a crate back over toward her. When Valka moved to get it, Eret felt a gasp steal out of his throat as he saw the face of the dragon; the blood he'd felt was from the head, tearing and damage visibly done to their eyes. Three dragons were trying to keep Valka from being clawed and kicked or bitten, letting her focus entirely on treating the wounds.

If a trapper had come across a dragon with such an injury, they'd have left it there. A kind one might have put it out of its misery, depending on the severity.

"Hush, it's ok. I know, I know, but you're safe now."

Over and over she spoke soothing words to the dragon, all the while working to clean up the injuries as best she could, dabbing them with whatever she had in that crate until finally she could cover their injured eyes with a bandage, which she managed to tie beneath the frill on the dragons head.

"There we go. It's alright. You poor thing."

Valka made to move, but the dragon whined pitifully until she came back, nostrils flaring as he sniffed for the scent of the one with gentle hands and a caring voice. She immediately sat back down, looking around before landing on Eret.

"Would you fetch me some water?"

Her hands and face and armour were covered in bright red splatters of blood, more so than him but both could probably do with getting it off. Eret nodded dumbly, keeping his distance and skirting the edge of the space they were in and disappearing along to Valka's space, finding the trickle of melting ice she often filled things from. He warmed it a little over the fire first, then wondered why he'd bothered. What did he care if the water was too cold for her?

Valka dabbed a cloth in to clean herself, and offered the rest to the dragon. Eret backtracked as soon as she had the bucket in hand, watching how she stroked the almost ridiculously oversized jaw.

"What happened?"

"This poor adolescent Hobblegrunt was left tangled in a tree snare. He's too injured for Drago to take, so they just left him to die. All alone, and so scared. Does your work still make you proud when you see it like this?"

Eret didn't answer.

For the first time since he woke to see Valka looming over him, he was _unsure._

-HTTYD-

**I love Gruff, he's a funky fierce Hobblegrunt who actually reacts quicker than sighted dragons according to his dragon wiki, but can you imagine when Valka found him? Poor baby! So I had to put it in. Obviously.**


	3. Chapter 3

**How many chapters of this will I write in advance? Time will tell! This bunny is growing bigger and bigger...**

-HTTYD-

Valka spent most of the night awake with the Hobblegrunt, who whined if she moved but was still too on edge for her to fall asleep. Eret eventually retired to bed, having never answered her question. She knew he'd tried to escape - how could he not? A trapper would never turn down such an advantage - but the scouts had reported in and Valka couldn't leave the dragons unprotected because of one troublesome trapper.

She had cramp in her neck, back and legs by the time she moved the next morning, longingly thinking of heated water to soothe her muscles. A peek beneath the bandages showed very little fresh bleeding, which was encouraging. Well, as encouraging as it could be for a dragon Valka knew was now blinded. Rubbing the long snout, Valka cooed soothingly.

"If you'll allow me, I'll take you to where the other injured dragons are resting. It's warmer and more comfortable, and you won't be lonely."

Slowly, her new friend agreed, rising up onto their hind legs. Valka placed a hand on their foreleg, speaking softly the whole way there and stopping whenever the dragon wanted to sniff at something - scent was going to be their main way around now, after all. Settling him in a nice, warm patch with soft grass beneath, Valka continued talking to him until he calmed down again.

"There we go. You rest. I'll come in to check on you as much as I can."

Valka checked in on the others, smiling at healing marks and healthier dragons. Her stomach rumbled fiercely, but she'd eat with the dragons later. Right now, she desperately needed to bathe. Dragon blood was difficult to wash off, and she was stiff and tired so a soak would do wonders. In truth, she'd all but forgotten Eret, jumping when he roused from next to the embers of a fire she hadn't lit.

Had he...

She shook her head. He could probably do it himself.

"Are you still going to take me back soon?"

"Good morning to you too."

Eret shrugged, and Valka noticed the motion didn't draw as much pain to his face as it had before. He appeared to be healing.

"Morning."

"I'm going to take a bath, I'll... deal with you later. I've been up all night."

"With that dragon?"

"Yes. He wouldn't settle without me."

"So... you stayed up _all_ night. To keep a blind dragon calm?"

Valka nodded.

"Yes?"

Eret shook his head, obviously perplexed.

"Riiiight. Any chance I can take a bath too? After you. Obviously."

He _had_ been in the same blood-and-sweat-stained clothes for a while.

"Yes. Which reminds me" Valka remembered why she'd had Cloudjumper drop two of the bags they raided in her rooms "I found some things that should fit you, so you can wash your own."

"Gee, thanks mom."

He said it with disdain, a joke. The word still make Valka seize up. Gods, no, she couldn't... not in front of Eret. Swallowing back the lump in her throat, Valka stood up and threw the things in Eret's direction.

"I wouldn't bother changing if you want to bathe, but there you go. Try staying put this time."

Grabbing her towel and fresh tunic, Valka left Eret there and hastened past to the path that would lead down to the water pool. It was no hot springs, of course, but a small breath of dragon fire usually brought the warmth up enough that Valka could wash in it comfortably. She grabbed the soap solid, placed it atop her towel within easy reach and began to undress. Cloudjumper perched near the door - he'd seen her naked thousands of times, dragons didn't care about such things - keeping watch and helping keep the heat in the room with his large body.

Her muscles melted into the hot water, easing the tension of uncomfortable positions and a long night after a rescue. Fingers slid across her belly, feeling faded lines where her skin had stretched to accomodate the growth there. She did her best not to think of Hiccup, of all the years she'd missed with him. Sometimes the memories came up, especially during hatching season. And she always knew when it was around his birthday by the seasons, wrote him a letter each year telling what she'd done. Oh, he'd never see them, but sometimes Valka would take them out and read them, imagine a son who was like her, who loved dragons.

A foolish notion, perhaps, but then that was why Valka didn't allow herself to dwell on it often.

Any stray tears were washed away with the water, Valka dragging the solid soap over herself to remove any residual blood, sweat or dirt. She rinsed her hair, though she hadn't bothered to unbraid it - it was so laborious to braid it back again that Valka largely did her best to keep it clean without. Once a month or so, she'd undo the lot and brush it through, give it a thorough clean before taming it back into braids.

Clean and relatively dry, Valka dressed and supposed she ought to head back. Eret followed her down, and Valka left him there to deal with his own business. He could find his way back. Tired but knowing there was a whole day ahead, Valka made up a stimulating tea, prepared the usual things she might use to treat Eret - once he was dealt with, she could get back to her dragons.

"Surprised you didn't stay to watch. Girls usually like watching me get my kit off."

Valka rolled her eyes.

"I've been treating your wound and somehow kept from swooning. And I am no _girl._ "

Eret seemed put out that it hadn't gotten to her, crossing over and lifting the borrowed tunic - he'd torn the sleeves off it, but Valka conceded his broad shoulders may not have fit comfortably and it was a temporary measure - to expose his chest. It was in much better shape than before. She had little cause to worry about taking him back soon.

"Here. You can do it yourself now. I'm going to check on the dragons."

Cloudjumper stayed to watch; he didn't trust Eret as far as he could throw him. Which, in fairness, was quite a distance. Perhaps as far as Valka could throw him. She was stronger than she looked, but Eret had a fair bit of weight on her. Broad. Strong. Warm...

Oh gods, that was the last thing she needed. Valka knew she was... lonely, in a sense. There were types of companionship she could not get from dragons, but it was a tiny sacrifice she barely noticed against the joy and _right_ of saving dragons, living with the beautiful creatures. The only one she truly ached for was Hiccup. It cut at her heart to imagine him in Dragon Training, smug and prideful as he proved himself a capable dragon killer.

Shoving down any stray _thoughts,_ Valka headed on through to check on sick dragons. The Hobblegrunt sniffed for her immediately, relaxing when he felt her hand on his scales. She cooed, checking his bandages gently and nodding to herself. The sight couldn't be saved, but healing looked promising otherwise. Promising several others she'd bring back fish and water for them as she moved through, Valka went to fetch Cloudjumper.

"Rrrowww."

"I know, but he wouldn't get far anyway. And we need to feed the ones who can't go flying for themselves yet."

"I can hear you you know."

"I am aware."

Eret huffed, then turned away and pulled his borrowed tunic back on. Valka grabbed her staff and headed out, itching to be up in the sky again. Her damp hair tried to catch a chill but she didn't feel it, not when they soared, the Bewilderbeast and the Seashockers working together to bring the fish up for the flock of dragons. They changed the spot they sourced from regularly, allowing the populations to sustain themselves. Sometimes they went out much further, letting the dragons feel the air if the scouts had said the oceans were clear.

They'd missed the sunrise, but there would be all the time in the world once Valka didn't have Eret to deal with. The sky chased away the tiredness, refreshed and invigorated her as she skipped from dragon to dragon, sometimes stopping to lay flat on their back and stroke a horned head or ridged neck. They filled some barrels up with fish to take back, Valka giving most to those who could not fly and the rocks salvaged last night going to the Gronckles. Gronckles _could_ eat fish if they absolutely needed to, but rocks were much more agreeable with their systems.

Eret had, surprisingly, only left to wash his clothes before sitting back where Valka left him, his things drying next to the fire.

"Do you always raid the ships you destroy?"

Eret asked as he watched Valka sort through the things they'd brought back. A barrel containing a lovely assortment of leather and linens was most needed and a welcome find, so Valka could patch some of her clothes up and possibly make new boots - her old ones were wearing out and had been patched countless times now.

"Not always, but if I see something I or the dragons need, I certainly don't feel _guilty_ taking things from those who seek to take dragons. Mostly fabrics and medicine, supplies I can't source for myself easily."

He caught the apple she tossed at him with fairly good reflexes, eyed it with suspicion before biting into it. Valka wasn't going to eat the entire barrel of fruit herself. Some of the dragons would have some, she mused. She could add some to honey and make a drink out of it. The cool temperature of the nest in places helped stop her food rotting too fast, as Valka didn't go through a lot by herself.

"When are you taking me back?"

"Two days. Now be quiet before I decide knocking you out is the easier choice."

Freya's day was when the island would next likely be full of dragons. Eret could fend for himself over there. This weird little hostage situation could be over and they could get back to their opposite sides of the fight.

* * *

"Sleep now my dear. There we go."

Eret heard the quiver in her voice, and he'd seen the dragon for himself.

She was soothing them through their final moments, injuries too severe for even her to fix. Another victim of a poorly laid trap - they were designed to capture, not kill. Drago wanted live, healthy dragons that could fight, after all.

He watched, unsure what to do. It felt... wrong, somehow, to just see her crying and do nothing about it. She hadn't meant to go out at all, he was sure, but a heavy-built Snafflefang reported in that there were dragons in need and Valka was gone in a blink, returning with blood on her armour and a dozen injured dragons. She'd tended to them all, but the Prickleboggle was too far gone.

And Valka... she _cared._ Not just in a human compassion way for unnecessary suffering. She wept over that dying dragon like she'd lost a son, a brother, a father. Cloudjumper hovered by, and until then Eret would never have suggested a dragon _could_ cry, or even come close, but the emotion in that dragons face was almost human. _Almost._

"Not now Eret."

When she realised he was there, Valka wiped hastily at her tears, as though he could have missed her devastation. He knelt down, needing to do _something_ to leave this woman, who had sort of saved his life in a weird way, with a clear conscience.

"What do you do with the ones you lose?"

"We bury them. They aren't supposed to die with us, they have... never mind. But I do what I can."

"I'd like to help."

He was almost as surprised as Valka that he said it. Valka shook her head.

"No. How can I trust you to respect what you're doing when you don't respect dragons?"

A sickly rattle from the Prickleboggle silenced them both, and Valka turned to continue soothing the beast until they stopped moving completely. The other dragons bowed their heads, making soft, quiet sounds. Valka nodded to Cloudjumper, who moved to pick up the dragon and lay it across the back of another. She wiped her face, jaw set tight in determination.

"Stay here."

Then they were gone, and Eret felt oddly wrong-footed by the whole thing. She was right. Why did he care about the funeral of a dragon? Dragons barely had a concept of anything other than mating, eating and killing humans.

Eret ignored the niggling thought that not a single dragon had threatened him the entire time he'd been there. Except maybe Cloudjumper. And that was protective more than anything.

He supposed since Valka defended them, they defended her. It was just one animal working with another. They were still _animals._ Beasts. They needed controlling somehow.

So why was this nest so tame? Valka never answered his questions unless it was about the specific dragon she was stroking, or things that wouldn't help him as a trapper. He supposed that was smart enough of her.

They were gone a while, and when Valka returned she was silent save for quiet sobs, detouring only to where he assumed the sick dragons were before retiring to her rooms and curling up against Cloudjumper's belly. Eret followed, awkward and unsure of himself. The big dragon wrapped two of his wings around Valka, and they seemed to mourn quietly together.

After a while, Valka simply got up, wiped her face and continued on like nothing was different. Perhaps she couldn't dwell too long on all the ones she didn't save. It would probably drive her mad if she did.

"Don't worry. I'll still take you back tomorrow."

"I wasn't... ok. I'm gonna need my swords back. My father made those for me."

Valka nodded tightly.

"Fine."

By the next day, Eret's chest wasn't healed, but he could go without a bandage and that was close enough, compared to the angry reddened thing that made him sick before. He'd be branded forever though. Marked by his failure to provide enough dragons for Drago. Permanently recognised as a dragon hunter.

He dressed back in his own clothes, figuring if nothing else Valka could use the ones she stole for him as material for bandages. She went through enough of them. Pinning his fur in place with his owl, Eret reached instinctively for his swords, but they weren't there. Right. Valka had them. She was in her armour, helmet and staff at her side as she made last checks on the most seriously injured dragon in her care, one who slept in her rooms with them and made Eret get very little sleep the night before.

"You rest. I won't be too long."

She gave it what looked like grass, but the dragon settled calmly for it whatever it was.

"Ready?"

"Just need my swords."

"I have them. I'm hardly going to arm you on the way there am I?"

He couldn't really argue with that, and worried if he did Valka would change her mind and keep him trapped there. She approached him with fabric in hand, intent to blindfold him clear. Eret let her, rolling his eyes dramatically so she knew his disapproval.

"I suppose this is fitting. Even now you don't see the truth."

Eret stayed quiet. He was almost out! Valka grabbed him quite firmly by his wrist, and Eret realised she expected him to get _on_ a dragon.

"Whoa, are you crazy?"

"Would you rather be hung from a dragons claw, blind, the whole way back?"

"... No. I guess not."

"This is Gustnudger, and he's a very steady flyer. I've added some rope for you to grip too, but don't pull too hard or he might just buck you off."

She guided his hand strangely, murmuring "it's ok" and Eret realised she was reassuring the _dragon,_ not him. Surprisingly warm scales pressed to his hand, a happy little grunt following. That was... weird. As was getting on its back blind. He gripped the rope, heart in his throat as Valka shuffled nearby, answered by a warbling sound from Cloudjumper.

"Gently now Gustnudger. I don't want to have to go back for him in the ocean."

"Heh. Surprised you'd bother."

"Then I'd be no better than you. Come on Cloudjumper."

Her voice was muffled - helmet on then. Eret wondered if he'd be able to tell anyone he knew what she looked like. Thin and oddly... pretty, he guessed. Still a dragon vigilante nutcase, of course, but she had wide eyes and soft smiles and high cheekbones... Eret probably would have chatted her up in a tavern if he'd seen her there. Not now, obviously.

How would he even explain? His crew mates would laugh themselves silly if he described her as pretty, say his time in captivity had sent him mad. But 'green eyes and red hair' didn't quite cover it. Half of them weren't even convinced she was definitely a _she._

The dragon lurched beneath him and Eret clung on to the rope as tight as he dared, tasting the difference in the air when they got outside. Wingbeats all around him, rattles from Valka's strange staff and chittering from one dragon to another. His stomach twisted, threatening air sickness. Eret never got sea-sick, but he'd never been so _high_ before and he couldn't even see. After what felt like all too long, the blindfold was removed from him by Valka's staff; he felt the curved edge of it.

Oh gods. The ground was very far and Valka was _standing_ on the back of her dragon. He'd seen her leap from it in battle, but never just calmly soaring along. Eret couldn't stop looking down, seeing the ocean so far away, waves tiny white lines in the blue-black water. Valka lifted her helmet, knelt down and twisted to look at Eret, her eyes glittering as they reflected the moon.

"Don't look down. Look _up._ Look around you. Not many humans will ever see the night like this."

Eret did, if only so his stomach wouldn't roil so violently. He looked up, the stars bigger than he'd ever seen them, the moon seeming so close he could almost reach to touch it. All around him the dragons flew, instinct or practice meaning they left just enough room for each other to flap their wings between gliding motions. The Windgnasher beneath him barely seemed to move, and Eret wasn't jostled at all. Small, wispy clouds brushed his skin and left chilled moisture, but the cold barely seemed to touch him at all up there.

"We're not far" wow, dragons were _fast_ "and I'm warning you. If you try to get in my way when we land, I _will_ throw you into the ocean."

He believed her. Especially since if she didn't? Her dragon definitely would.

"That's fair. After this, no promises."

"Likewise."

They soared up into the clouds, from any ships down below and Eret's hands were numb by the time Valka had her helmet back on. He caught glimpses of the ocean below, but it didn't seem so high anymore. Cloudjumper grabbed him off of Gustnudger's back, his grip surprisingly secure as they edged closer.

"Quiet."

Eret bit the inside of his cheek, not keen to be flung into the ocean as they swooped down one by one, a steep dive by Cloudjumper dropping Eret on a deserted stretch of rock. His swords landed next to him, and then dragon and rider were gone. Eret had barely reattached his sword belt when he saw a flash of fire, heard yells that were human and not Valka. On foot, he'd never get there in time to help either side, but his crew would never find him hidden amongst barren rock.

He jogged along, the weight of his swords familiar and awkward all at once after over a week with them away from him. There was a steep hill between him and the action, his legs burning with the exertion of climbing what felt like an almost completely vertical incline. When he reached the top, he found action a little closer to home, trappers wrestling with a dragon wrapped in a net. He caught the shine of metal, saw the flecks of blood on the ground and the heavy muzzle on its face. Razor netting. Even in the dark, even with it twisted and tangled and their head wrapped in leather restraint, Eret was chargrined to realise he recognised the species.

Valka said they hardly ever saw Stormcutters.

His hand curled around his sword. He could help the trappers contain the dragon. Or he could go on a suicide mission to rescue the dragon, like Valka would. Eret hesitated, mind rebelling and showing him images of Valka tending sick dragons, singing to Cloudjumper, weary after a night comforting the injured.

He remembered the exhiliration of the flight over. The rush in his blood as he saw the sky anew.

_Damn her._

He crept along, the trappers distracted by several thousand pounds of pissed off dragon. Eret swung his sword upward and the razor netting peeled apart around two wings.

"Hey!"

The Stormcutter, sensing help, rolled onto their other side and let Eret free the other wings. Once those were free, the dragon reared up with an irate roar, hooked wing claws tearing the muzzle from their face. Two trappers turned on Eret, who pulled his second sword and found himself in the ridiculous position between dragon and human.

Stormcutter fire was almost completely unique, a burning and sustained twister that could reduce a boat or house to ashes in seconds. The trappers scattered, more dragon blood spattering the ground as the Stormcutter wings flared up high. Even injured, the red-and-purple dragon was not going down without a fight. Eret saw the moon catch iridescent shimmers of pink on the wings, saw the dragon was considerably smaller than Cloudjumper.

Female, maybe?

"Get him!"

Yep. Suicide mission. Eret braced himself, figuring if he was going down, he'd go down fighting too. He braced, ready to fight.

Fireballs crashed down around them, never touching Eret or his new 'friend' but scattering the trappers, a stream lining the space between them so close that Eret felt the heat on his face. Cloudjumper swooped down with his rider, both rearing up to fight for Eret and the rescue. Yet more dragons swarmed, ones he didn't recognise from the flight over that she'd clearly already freed.

"Let's get out of here!"

Clearly, one Stormcutter was not worth their lives. Eret apparently hadn't had the same sense. Valka lifted her helmet, shocked face illuminated by the flames.

"What... what changed your mind?"

Eret didn't get a chance to answer before a big, wet tongue slobbered across his face, looking up to see grinning Stormcutter and incredibly suspicious Cloudjumper. With her head thrown back and a hand clutched to her stomach, Valka actually _laughed._

-HTTYD-

**N'awh. Dragon kissies! The female Stormcutter has been borrowed from Titans Uprising, and her name is Tripfire if you wanted to look her up.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**The problem with stories is you want the really GOOD BITS to be now, but you have to do the bits before to get to the GOOD BITS. Damn linear progression.**

-HTTYD-

"We better finish what we started here, but Cloudjumper couldn't help coming to the ladies rescue."

"How'd you know she's a lady?"

"See here" Valka ran her fingers over Cloudjumper's jaw "male Stormcutters have these protrusions, like a cats whiskers. Most female Stormcutters don't."

Eret glanced up, seeing that she was right.

"Oh. Ok then. Should we..."

He gestured toward where Valka had been before they came to save Eret's ass. She glanced back, nodding.

"Yes. You're not ready to fly a Stormcutter alone though, so... can I trust you Eret?"

Eret nodded.

"Yeah."

Valka considered him, then shoved her helmet on and sprang back up onto Cloudjumpers back. For a second, he thought she was going to just bail on him, but then she was kneeling down and reaching out her hand.

"Well don't just stand there."

Quite certain that Valka was quite mad, Eret reached up, wholly expecting her to tip forward with his weight but instead she hiked him up, and then Cloudjumper took off with a very wary Eret realising that unless he hugged Valka, there was nothing to hang on to. Valka didn't care, standing and crouching ready to spring into action. The female Stormcutter was hot on their heels, and Eret winced as he saw the ragged marks from her brush with razor netting. She really shouldn't even _be_ flying, but something told him he'd be roasted alive for pointing that out to her.

He had no armour, nothing hiding his face from those who could recognise him but Eret went in head first as always, swords ready as Valka leapt from cage to cage, she and Cloudjumper freeing several more dragons while the others above them spat flames and fireballs and ice to keep the enemies at bay. The female Stormcutter was taking no prisoners, somehow attacking with fire, her wings _and_ her tail all at once.

"We're clear. Gustnudger!"

The Windgnasher Eret had flown in on appeared, distinctive largely because of the rope still hung around his neck. Valka hopped down from her dragons back, beckoning Eret over.

"What?"

"I'm going to show you something. I hope never to learn you have used it wrongly."

Her fingers curled around his wrist, pushing his hand into a position where his fingers were flat, his palm facing outward.

"Now, close your eyes."

"Excuse me?"

"Just... close them."

Feeling like he might die any second, Eret very _very_ reluctantly did as she said. After a few seconds, he was about to open them again when he felt warm air and snuffling against his palm, followed by warm scales against his hand.

"There we go."

He opened his eyes, saw Gustnudger pressing to his hand and, well, Eret couldn't think of a word other than _smiling._

"Ok. Now what?"

"Now you can get on him."

"No blindfold?"

"Do you need one?"

Eret shook his head. Gods, was he really making this choice?

_Yes._

He climbed on Gustnudger's back, somewhat less terrified than earlier now he at least knew the dragon really was a steady flyer. Eret found himself turning, looking for the Stormcutter he helped free. She was still looking for a fight, ruffling her wings and making rumbling noises until Cloudjumper warbled at her, gesturing with his enormous spined crown to the dragons waiting overhead.

She rolled her eyes, but spread her wings.

"Are you gonna make it back alright like that?"

Lick. Lick. Eret wiped the dragon spit off his face, got a glare for doing so.

"Isn't your saliva flammable?"

Another eyeroll. Valka cocked her head, a strange motion in that bloody helmet of hers.

"How did you know that?"

"We've seen Cloudjumper lick stuff then set it on fire. Are we leaving?"

"Oh. Yes!"

She swung her staff, the resulting noise sending those from the nest upward and the rescues followed. Eret held on as the dragon beneath him surged up. Better prepared and fully sighted this time, Eret felt his stomach twist as they gained height still but once they evened out, he felt the earlier rush come back, gazing at the starry sky, the up-close moon, the new dragons they'd picked up.

He was almost disappointed when Valka said they were back, though he was also momentarily stunned by the huge, spiky structure it turned out he'd been in all along. The ice he'd seen through gaps in the rock was everywhere, in great fierce points all sort of pointing in one direction, like the ice had been blown by wind as it formed. They landed in, a stream of new arrivals pouring through the hidden spot above and following Cloudjumper down to where he'd landed. Eret got off of Gustnudger on slightly shaky legs, almost buckling under the weight of what had happened.

His chest hurt too, like he'd been aggravating it the whole while and only just noticed.

Valka removed her helmet, placing it to one side and lowering her staff. Eret watched the way she moved, scanning the rescues for injury or illness, actively greeting each one and Cloudjumper watched, making what Eret could only assume were reassuring noises to let the new ones know Valka was safe.

"Ok, I'm starting to get the feeling there's more than just a couple dozen dragons here."

He caught her smile, though she'd turned away to greet a wary Gronckle before Eret could be certain it was a knowing, playful smile or just a 'I freaking LOVE dragons' smile.

"A little shaken, but looks like most of you are otherwise healthy. Gustnudger, go take them to get something to eat?"

Gesturing with his head to "follow me!", the Windgnasher ambled off with several dragons in tow. Eret noticed the new Stormcutter didn't go, still focusing on Eret in a way that would have really unnerved him yesterday. Cloudjumper seemed equally taken with _her,_ and Eret wondered just how long it had been since he actually saw another of his own. But if he got too close, she whipped around, growling.

"Well, this should be fun."

"What's wrong?"

"She's spooked, but I need to treat her cuts or she might tear more membrane and struggle to fly. They're already aggravated from flying over here."

Now completely certain he had gone completely mad, Eret undid his sword belt, then approached the female Stormcutter. She seemed to calm down looking at him, head tilting and eyes softening. He held out his hand the way Valka had shown him, well aware she was watching and hoping he didn't screw it up.

"Hey. Thank you for fighting alongside me earlier."

She shuffled, head tilting the other way with a little warbling noise. Eret closed his eyes and hoped he wasn't set on fire for his troubles. He felt the spines on her nose, so close she came to scent him. Then she pressed to his hand, cooed. Eret opened his eyes, a laugh bubbling up from his chest in relief he wasn't dead.

"Hi there."

Valka was _beaming,_ an expression dangerously close to _proud_ on her face and Eret wondered why that suddenly meant so much to him. Then the Stormcutter licked him again, quite clearly laughing as he grimaced with a wet face.

"Thanks for that."

When Valka tried to approach though, the Stormcutter twisted around, flaring up in a clear sign of "do not touch me". Eret stroked an un-injured part of her side, drawing her attention back to him.

"I know you don't want them getting close, but can you let her patch you up? She's better at it than me, and you got hurt earlier."

With a great, heaving sigh of reluctance, the Stormcutter flopped down and rolled her eyes, spreading her wings out either side of her. If Eret so much as moved one step from right next to her head, she growled.

"I think she likes you."

"Really? I couldn't te- ah!" she licked him again, smug as could be "I did bathe recently, you know!"

Well, he supposed being licked was better than being eaten. Eret ran gentle fingers over the crown of two heavy spines on her head, saw her fins flare up a little before settling, more curious than angry or excited it seemed. Valka moved efficiently, patching the cuts in her wings and he saw the hurt in the human womans face for it, how much she _cared_ that the dragon was injured.

"I hope this works my dear."

Eret looked over, seeing fabric stuck to the bigger tears, holding them together to help stop her pulling at them further. Dragon wings were surprisingly tough, he'd seen, but it was like ripping fabric - it was easier once you cut into it, exposing where blood and thin tissue was not so well protected.

"See, not so bad right?"

She rolled her eyes, licked him again and got up very gingerly, all on edge watching her fold her wings back in to see if it dislodged any of her bandages. Thankfully, it didn't. Her head bumped against his chest, sniffing and tugging at his fur and tunic.

"Is your chest hurting?"

Valka obviously noticed the dragons aim, appearing concerned.

"A little, but it's not bleeding or anything."

She still made him show her, his new dragon friend leaning in suspiciously, as though checking Valka wasn't going to hurt Eret.

"Alright. Be careful."

"Aww. I didn't know you cared."

Valka rolled her eyes.

"Don't make me take you back there. I have a feeling she'd follow you."

Eret glanced up at the Stormcutter, who bobbed her head in agreement.

"Yeah, probably."

Valka began unbuckling her armour, and Eret realised there was more to the future than just him deciding he probably couldn't bring himself to go back to dragon trapping.

"So, uh... not to impose or anything. But does that mean I can stay here?"

She looked up, humming.

"That's not up to me."

"Oh?"

There was a heavy silence, thoughts passing her face as she looked between Eret and the dragon next to him.

"Can I trust you?"

"Didn't you ask me that already?"

"That was in a fight. This is... more than that."

Epically curious and somewhat confused, Eret nodded.

"You can trust me."

"Then come with me."

Eret followed, sleeping dragons almost everywhere they went. Valka was leading him deeper in - he'd not tried going that way, unsure what he'd find and certain he'd get lost. They climbed up a few rocky spots, and then it began to open up, brightly lit and densely _green,_ smelling like sunshine and fresh grass and dawn after rain. And it was _warm,_ none of the chill in the other spots he'd seen touching them here.

He looked up, seeing a huge ceiling made of thick ice that still allowed the sunshine in. There were thick, rocky pillars, many of the rocks perfectly six-sided shapes and covered in mossy green that hung down in great curtains. Little pockets of ice and running water were dotted around.

And the _dragons..._

Dozens had never been close to covering it. Eret could see _hundreds,_ maybe even _thousands,_ sleeping in piles and packs, rolling around with their young, swooping in great spirals around the pillars. He'd expected it to be noisier with so many, but while he could certainly hear dragon sounds, they were largely quiet, peaceful.

**"** **_Wow."_ **

He turned to look at Valka, completely astounded.

"Well?"

"This is... unbelievable."

"There's more."

"M-more? More dragons?"

Valka nodded, but she was leading him up a slope, thick green ferns sprouting to seek the humid air and glittering sun. The whole place was just so full of _life._

"If you want to stay, it's up to him."

"Him? Him wh- _great Atja!_ "

So much time spent around the Norse for the last eight years had filtered into language, but Eret found himself falling back on the old Sami tongue in shock when he saw the _enormous_ beast below. He sat in a pool of water, and looked for all the world to be sleeping, countless spiny protrusions on his head flaring up and down with his large, steady breaths.

"W-what is that?"

" _He_ is the Great Bewilderbeast, the Alpha species. Every nest has a queen, but this? This is the _king_ of all dragons. This graceful giant helped build our nest, creating a safe haven for dragons everywhere. We live under his care. And his command. The dragons are calmer, happier with their Alpha."

This dragon was going to sense Eret was a trapper and turn him into a frozen treat for himself with that ice breath, Eret was certain. He'd noticed them. shaking off a few dragons that were literally sitting on his enormous tusks before rising on legs the size of sea stacks. He rose, dragons all around them bowing, lowering their heads - including both Stormcutters next to the humans. Valka dropped to her knee, head bowed, clearly venerating this great creature. Eret made to copy, but Valka shook her head.

"Face him. Let him see you."

Well, that was easier said than done. Eret was barely the size of one of his _eyes._ How could anything be so _massive?_ It beggared belief.

The Alpha stared him down, but Eret did his best to stand his ground. He'd made his choice. He just had to hope this dragon could see that. The huge, sharp-toothed mouth opened and Eret braced himself for a very cold death.

Instead, a chill brushed over only his face, leaving sparkles of ice frozen to his hair and eyebrows.

"Ah. He likes ya."

Eret laughed, relief and still some faint terror rolling through him as he brushed the fragments of ice from his hair, wiped his face before the ones on his brow melted.

"Soooooo?"

"You may stay. Although I suspect he" there was a pointed grumble "and Cloudjumper will be keeping an eye on you."

Nodding, Eret glanced over the shape of the Bewilderbeast, something in his brain faintly niggling.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. This seems... familiar, somehow."

Valka raised an eyebrow.

"I did model my helmet on his features, to carry his protection with us."

He shrugged, thought gone as fast as it had come.

"Must be that."

* * *

Valka rose from her bed, finding Eret had already disappeared from his fur pile on the floor. She'd finally brought him to the heart of the mountain, and so she no longer had to use her old bedroom to sleep in and keep an eye on him.

"You have two bedrooms?"

Eret had teased her somewhat, though he seemed happier for the warmer air at night now.

"We didn't have so many rock-eating dragons, so making places more habitable for me was difficult. So I chose a spot I could live in, and over time I moved closer."

It had been something of a snug fit with three dragons in there too, but Eret's Stormcutter would not leave him any more than Cloudjumper would have left Valka alone with Eret all night. _He_ still didn't trust Eret. And of course, Valka had the sickest dragon in there with them. He was looking much better than before, eating by himself and even walking. With any luck, she'd be able to move him the next night to recover with his own.

She certainly felt better for a night in her more familiar bed, though she also missed sleeping wrapped in Cloudjumpers wings as he hung. Still, that might frighten Eret, and he was very much a tentative new recruit in the fight to save dragons. Best not to frighten him too much. Valka hadn't missed that he slept on the side that let him glance out to the sanctuary of dragons, watching them as he fell asleep.

"Easy girl. That's it!"

Intrigued, Valka detoured only to relieve herself before she ventured out to see what Eret was doing. She found him with a net on the floor, his dragon at his side looking quite pleased with herself.

"What are you doing?"

"I am teaching her how to trip trapper traps. Figure I might as well make _some_ use of what I know, and I know them all."

It had never even occurred to Valka to ask him that. Granted, he'd only been on her side for less than twelve hours, but still. There were patches of shiny dragon spit on his tunic, his fur wrap back in Valka's bedroom. Clearly, his dragon was still quite fond of giving him dragon kisses.

"Have you named her?"

"Yeah. We had a couple of disagreements at first, but I can now introduce Tripfire."

"Tripfire?"

"Yeah. She breaks traps and sets stuff on fire."

The Stormcutter looked happier about the name than Eret. Valka smiled, happy if the dragon was.

"Very well. It's nice to meet you Tripfire."

She held her hand out, Tripfire initially backing away; Valka didn't take it personally, she'd met many a skittish dragon before.

"It's ok Tripfire. Valka's cool. She helped us escape, remember?"

Eret was already referring to himself and Tripfire as 'we'. Valka could scarcely believe the transformation in him. Tripfire wrinkled her nose for a minute, then relaxed and pressed her face into Valka's hand. Stroking her gently, Valka cooed.

"Oh you are lovely. May I check your injuries?"

Tripfire still had to be soothed by Eret to agree, but she let her and Valka was pleased to see there were encouraging signs of healing.

"You should heal up very well. Might be a few battle scars."

"Ah, we've all got a war wound or two. Will she be able to fly alright?"

"Oh, I should think so! Provided she stays off her wings as much as possible while she heals."

"You heard the boss Tripfire. Besides which, I don't think I could fly anyway. My legs are _killing_ me."

Valka giggled, remembering what felt like a lifetime ago when she had her first riding injuries, and how his thighs and back would have gone through quite the workout on that first ride, especially if he was holding on for dear life to begin with.

"You'll get used to it. Besides which, I can't really take you on rescues anyway."

Eret frowned.

"How come?"

"Aside from the fact you're an unskilled flyer, which I can fix when Tripfire is healed, assuming she's alright with being flown to begin with, you are _far_ too recognisable. My armour isn't just for protection in a fight, it's so I can go into the world of humans sometimes. How long before another trapper recognised you? I'm already wary of the idea of taking you to any trading island as it is, without letting you be a clear sign of who _I_ am too."

"So you're saying I'm gonna have to make a suit?"

"That would be helpful. But as I said, you're not ready to fly yet, and you'll need to be used to flying before you make a flying suit."

"Cus movement and stuff, I get it. Since we're talking about long term here, do you really only live on fish and what you steal off ships?"

Valka crossed her arms.

"I'm not your wife."

"And I am very glad of that, you're a terrible cook and I wholly intend on taking over mealtimes before you kill me" was it too late to throw him into the ocean? "but if I'm gonna be here long term, I wouldn't mind being able to, I don't know, keep chickens for eggs or grow vegetables somewhere."

She'd considered that herself, but just never quite gotten around to it. Valka lived well enough off what she could catch or steal, or occasionally trade for.

"There are some soil patches you could cultivate, but that would be _your_ work. Chickens... might be tricky, some dragons might eat them but if you built a sturdy enough stone coop, then it's possible."

Chickens were always the last things taken on Berk, anyway. Sheep and yaks and barrels of fish were far more popular.

"Cool. I don't mind doing the work, just don't want you to feel like I'm gonna trash the place. This is your home, and I respect that."

Valka had no real cause to doubt him on that - even when he'd been kept against his will, Eret hadn't gone out of his way to do more than annoy her with requests to leave.

"So, would you rather start with a tour of the mountain, or help with the wounded and sick?"

"Uh, wounded. I don't think my legs are up for the kind of climbing a tour needs just yet."

She had worried he would be a little heavy-handed for the dragon-care, but despite large, rope-roughened hands, Eret had a gentle touch that seemed agreeable to the dragons. When he saw Valka watching, he smiled.

"Have you ever seen Sami scrimshaw?" Valka shook her head "well, it's... tiny. Miniscule details. Bone, blade and your steady hand. Plus I've been braiding rope by hand since I was a little kid. Also means I tie the best knots ever. Am I doing this right?"

Valka checked his splint for the recovering Zippleback with a broken left wing, nodding as she stroked the bumpy back.

"It's good."

"I've splinted a couple of broken arms and legs in my day. Never a wing."

"As straight as you can, since they don't bend the actual bones themselves. And try not to put too much weight on the break itself, it makes the splint uncomfortable."

Half of her brain - and Cloudjumper - were still very aware that Eret had been a perfectly happy dragon trapper a day ago. And that she was teaching him far more than any trapper should know already. But, as she watched his slightly shaky hand feeding a weakened Gronckle, saw him smile up at Tripfire when she grumbled for his attention, heard him _apologise_ for knocking a healing wound when he was tending to that Nadder...

Valka remembered seeing him stand between Tripfire and the trappers, and she knew she was going to give him the chance to prove he was genuine.

She just hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake.

-HTTYD-

**If you miss Cloudjumper in this chapter, it helps if you picture him as I do - always in the background, looking hopefully in Tripfire's direction.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Honestly these four get cuter all the time and I love them.**

**The song is a translation of an old Norse song I found on the interwebs.**

-HTTYD-

_As I was able to sleep just as well,_   
_I thought that would be best —_   
_to rest myself here on fine fur,_   
_and forget everyone else._

_Peace, if it is to be found, is where_   
_one is furthest from the human noise —_   
_and walling oneself around, can have a dream_   
_of silk and fine furs._

Eret tried not to make a sound, wary of disturbing her as he listened to Valka sing. He hadn't heard her sing before, not really, just melodic sounds she made to the dragons sometimes. But the way the other dragons reacted, it seemed she did it often.

Her voice was nice.

She turned holding a basket of clothes, which told Eret it was a wash day, and seemed surprised to find Eret there.

"How long were you there?"

"Long enough. You can sing around me you know, I promise not to cover my ears and tell you its terrible."

Valka looked to be contemplating throwing something at him, but she restrained. Cloudjumper looked much closer to swatting him with his tail.

"Charming."

"I'm kidding. Need some help?"

"Not with this, but you could finish tearing up that cloth over there, we're low on bandages. So many injured lately."

He heard the sad note in her voice, debated if it was inappropriate to offer a physical comfort like a touch to the shoulder, but Valka was gone before he could decide. Shrugging to himself, Eret headed through with Tripfire trotting behind him. Six days now, she'd been there with them, and she'd barely left Eret's side for a minute. He had to ask her _twice_ to let him use the bathroom in peace. Still, Eret couldn't really complain too much; it was far better than her hating him.

If she would just stop _licking_ him, it would be easier. Almost seeming to read his mind, Tripfire laved a slobbery, wet tongue over his face before perching smugly next to him to watch Eret take his small knife, shredding up several reams of otherwise useless material; it was mostly clothes taken from a destroyed trapper ship that were too small for either of the very tall people in the nest, and largely in too poor a condition to use for much other than rags or bandages.

Hunting around, he found the crate of bundles of yak jerky, offering one to a confused Tripfire and grinning as she sniffed it haughtily.

"If it's good enough for me, it's good enough for you."

"Rrroww."

After watching Eret chew his happily, she picked it up and gnawed at it warily before brightening, eating it rather quickly after that.

"Good, right? How are your wings doing, can I check them?"

Tripfire rolled her eyes, but after another lick for Eret she extended her wings one by one, let him check under the bandages to investigate how she was healing. He could see promising signs of the delicate membrane of her wing coming back together, and hoped once she was cleared to fly again he'd be able to pee in peace.

"How is she doing?"

"Looking good, yeah."

With a basket of now-wet things - how long had he spent cutting up that fabric? Granted, he spent extra time trying to make them a variety of sizes for different needs... - Valka returned to find him checking each of Tripfire's injuries.

"That's very good news. Is there more firewood?"

"Yep, I'll grab it."

He jokingly flexed as he carted the bucket back to let Valka build up the fire, which earned him an eyeroll from both Valka _and_ Cloudjumper. Tough crowd.

"I hope you don't think you can charm me like some tavern girl who is just dying for a moment of adventure."

"I bet I could, but no. It's just how I am. Does it make you uncomfortable? Cus I can do it more."

Valka threw her soap at him. Eret tried to catch it, but it was wet and slippery still and so he dropped it, then tried to pick it up and dropped it again.

"You're getting it dirty!"

"It's soap! It'll clean. And you threw it at me!"

Tsking, Valka went back to tending the fire so it would burn nicely, before hanging her clothes up on a line near it to dry. It was still a little funny to see that feral vigilante who'd faced off against trapper after trapper, who tamed dragons seemingly with magic, in such a domestic setting. Managing to get a grip on the soap, Eret dropped it in the bucket with the wash cloths in, figuring he could clean it when he next went for a bath.

"Hey, didn't you get a box of spices from that last raid you went on?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes" Valka looked around, eventually bending over into a trunk before rising with a smaller box "here you go."

Eret took them with thanks, glad he'd be able to perk up dinner more often now - Valka only really had salt in the flavour department, and even then she only used it to preserve excess food sometimes.

"Awesome. Flatbread and stew good with you for tonight?"

"So long as you don't poison it."

"If you really thought I would, you wouldn't let me cook. Unless my cooking is just _that_ good you don't care and will risk your untimely demise?"

Valka ignored him. Eret shrugged it off, glad that Valka had seen fit to keep several cooking things she'd looted, even if she scarcely used them. It made it much easier for him to take over cooking. He would credit Valka's skill where it counted - the woman could combine plants and herbs for medicine and tea brilliantly. Eret just wasn't prepared to live off her terrible cooking indefinitely.

"Tripfire, don't stick your nose in the flour! Then you'll sneeze and Valka will yell at me for getting flour everywhere."

Huffing, Tripfire twisted her head in time to see Cloudjumper approaching tentatively; he was quite clearly keen to be noticed by the female, but Tripfire wasn't interested in anyone but Eret. Even Valka was more tolerated than actively liked for the moment. She'd had a rough time, she would come around.

Oh gods, he was starting to _sound_ like Valka.

"I'm just going for a firewood run, try not to blow anything up."

"No promises!"

Bread ready to heat when the stew was closer to being done, Eret dug into the fish barrel and tossed a few up to Tripfire, who was most enthused to be getting _her_ food. She bumped her head against his shoulder, blinking rapidly until Eret lifted his hands and scratched at her chin the way he'd seen Valka do to Cloudjumper. Different dragon species were fussy about where they were petted - another thing he never expected to learn, let alone _need_ to know.

"I know you're bored, girl, but it's worth a few more days grounded to be all better right?"

Tripfire warbled, butting her head gently against his chest with worried eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm healing up too."

And he was, though before Eret had simply seen the brand as punishment. Now it felt like a challenge, a constant reminder of what he had to aim to be better than. Valka had shown him the truth, and given him a second chance. He needed to keep trying to be worthy of it.

* * *

"You are _impossible!_ Why did I ever believe you could change?"

She shoved him aside, stormed past him. Eret whipped around, scowling.

"That's not fair! I'm really trying here!"

"So you say. And yet violence against dragons is your immediate go to solution!"

Eret rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"That isn't what I meant! I just pointed out that with Drago building a _dragon army,_ it makes sense to challenge him, to take him down before he's done!"

"With these dragons. Putting them in the very same danger I fight to free them from. No. We protect. We don't go to war with a madman. Here is safe."

"And what if one day its not? What if he found you some day?"

"The Alpha is here. The dragons are **safe** here."

The ex trapper could be so damned _aggravating,_ and she wanted to shake him until sense finally rattled around in his brain. Cloudjumper growled, warning Eret not to upset his human. Of course, that set off Tripfire, who let out a screech and positioned herself between Eret and Cloudjumper in a visibly protective stance.

"Hey, it's alright girl. Nobody is fighting anyone here."

Eret managed to soothe his companion, Tripfire turning toward him and cooing. Valka supposed there was _some_ change - he'd been effectively mocking her for caring for dragons when he first crashed into her life and ended up her temporary ward, and there he was, calming and stroking the female Stormcutter like he'd been at it for years. It softened her irritation enough that she stopped entertaining visions of dumping him back on a trapper island again. She doubted she could seperate those two even if she wanted to. When dragons chose someone, they tended to do so whole-heartedly, and Tripfire was no exception.

"Ugh, I don't need a bath Tripfire!"

He failed completely in dissuading his dragon from insistently licking him, and Valka couldn't suppress laughter any longer as he spluttered and tried in vain to fend off the incredibly affectionate reptile. Tripfire ended up completely laying him out on the ground, giving Eret no chance of running away as she continued to give him 'dragon kisses' despite pleas for her to stop. Only when satisfied Eret was sufficiently aware how much she liked him did Tripfire let up, and Eret's tunic was completely soaked in Stormcutter-spit. It was sensible he take it off, really, else he was practically waiting to be set on fire.

"I'm gonna go clean the slobber out of my hair. Though I don't know why I bother, she's just gonna do it again."

"She likes you!"

Eret rolled his eyes and went off, Tripfire in tow, in search of a bucket of water to rinse his hair and face off. And probably a clean tunic. Valka caught view of his bare back as he went, seeing several scars in different stages of aging, some clearly years old while others still had that pink-ish colour to them that said they were quite new.

She did _not_ notice how muscular his back was.

Much.

Valka slumped back in her seat, groaning. The occasional wayward thought about the fact Eret was nicely built was harmless, but she would rather not have any such thoughts at all. Her life out there was about dragons, not people. She rubbed at her face, shooing away those thoughts and spotting Cloudjumper edging toward Eret's discarded tunic. Valka watched him sniff at it, casting glimpses around before picking it up and taking off with it up to one of the higher cave tunnels.

He was _smitten_ with Tripfire, plain as day and Valka thought it sweet enough that she covered for her dragon, let him keep the Tripfire-scented fabric if it made him happy.

"DIdn't I... did I take the slobber thing with me?"

Eret reappeared, hair damp and the new vest he'd made himself - his sewing skills were perfectly passable, it turned out - on his torso, looking for the one he'd taken off.

"You must have done, I can't see it."

Cloudjumper would give it back. Probably.

-HTTYD-

**THESE FOUR DUMB IDIOTS**

**I LOVE THEM**


	6. Chapter 6

**So glad people have love for these dorks! I do too, and I am glad to share it with you!**

-HTTYD-

She wasn't entirely sure it was the wisest idea, but neither of them had been willing to compromise on it and so Valka just tried to ensure they'd be safe. Even so, she found herself glancing back constantly, making sure Eret was still actually _on_ Tripfire.

He was seated, holding on to a rope around her neck that Valka had tied carefully - tight enough to be worth Eret gripping, not so tight it would hurt Tripfire - and the female Stormcutter was ecstatic to be back in the air now her wings were healed. Valka would have preferred to teach Eret to fly a less... turbulent dragon first, but Tripfire wouldn't hear of it and Eret wasn't arguing with her.

Cloudjumper didn't mind not going far - he liked being able to watch Tripfire, and her clear joy to be in the sky only seemed to make him even happier to witness. They slowed to wait for them to catch up, and precisely what Valka feared would happen happened. Tripfire rolled, stretching herself out properly and Eret, not expecting it? Eret fell off.

He had an almost comical scream - comical save for the very real threat of imminent death.

"Uh, Tripfire? You're down a rider."

She twisted her head, roared in shock and dove down to retrieve a still-falling Eret, swooping back up with him safely clutched in her claws and he looked rather put-out as Valka couldn't help but laugh in relief.

"I did warn you!"

"Yeah yeah, how was I meant to know she'd throw me off so fast?"

"You've seen a Stormcutter fly before."

"Yeah but you make it look easy, standing up while he rolls around."

Valka giggled, hand on her belly as she tried to contain her amusement.

"I've been flying for over fifteen years, you haven't even been on a Stormcutter for fifteen minutes."

Grumbling, they moved to solid land so Eret could stop hanging freely from dragon-claw, Tripfire warbling and shuffling, keen to be back in the air. Eret stretched, reached to rub Tripfire's chest.

"You can go without me you know, stretch your wings properly."

Tripfire grumbled, staying exactly where she was. Valka smiled to herself. Their bond was still relatively new, but it was oh so powerful and she thrilled to watch it growing. Especially when she got to laugh as Eret groaned, Tripfire licking him repeatedly until she was satisfied he smelled like her again.

"Thanks, Tripfire. Come on, let's try this again if you're so determined to take me with you."

She rumbled happily, lowering her neck so Eret could climb up again. There was a thin scar on the side of her neck, barely noticeable unless she stretched it out fully. It wasn't from the razor netting, Valka knew by the healing state, and it left her curious about what could have caused it.

More aware of her rider this time, Tripfire refrained from any mid-air acrobatics and stuck to more simple movements, and after a few minutes Eret didn't even look that nervous about being pitched off again. They weren't too high up - he wasn't used to the thinner air higher up, and the last thing they needed was him fainting - but still, it was higher than Eret had ever been save for the trip to the trappers island before.

Part of Valka still kept watch, wary of trusting a human, but another part of her watched him with Tripfire, that connection visible and strong.

"Well, you seem to have the basics down. Let's go get some food shall we?"

It wasn't a full-nest lunch, since they were on what was effectively a training run, but if Eret planned on flying Tripfire full time, he'd need to be used to dives and fishing and just the general shifts of altitude. They dropped back to the island after the dragons made their catch, and Valka bit back a giggle when she saw Cloudjumper nudge a particularly large fish over to Tripfire with a sort of hopeful glance. Tripfire took it, but turned away and Cloudjumper sagged a little until Valka rubbed his side, offered him a reassuring smile.

"I know my dear. Give it time."

Cloudjumper nuzzled her, cooing and cheering up. While she couldn't say for certain Cloudjumper was exactly what Tripfire sought in a mate, she reckoned his chances would improve some when Tripfire was more settled. Getting back on her wings ought to help there, she mused. Grounded dragons were definitely tempermental. After they'd cooked some fish for the humans and the dragons had eaten their fill, they got back in the air - slowly, taking in some gentle gliding and just _enjoying_ the feel of flying. Eret really relaxed in to it, his grip on the rope almost entirely slack.

"So, how is it?"

"A little rocky, but I think we're getting the hang of it. Right girl?"

"Rrowww."

They headed back, not wanting Tripfire to overdo it on her first proper recovered flight, but she certainly seemed much happier. After another few licks for Eret, she took herself off for a nap.

"Need me to do anything?"

"No no, you go on and join her. If I'm gone when you wake, I've probably taken the dragons out for lunch."

Eret smiled; he hadn't said that was what he wanted, but Valka caught the wistful watch and knew naps could be a warm, cosy bonding experience. Not to mention flying could wear one out if they weren't used to it. If they'd stayed out much longer, Eret would have been waddling from the sore thigh muscles.

"Alright. Thanks."

Valka heard Tripfire respond happily to Eret's joining her, warmed by it, before heading to check on the recovering dragons. Her blinded Hobblegrunt was finally on the mend, and they were starting on small trips around the nest, so he could learn by scent and by the senses of his head frills how to find his way around. With some luck, he'd be able to go flying again soon. They'd had quite a few injured on the last raids, but no losses on the last two, and Valka was relieved to see the rescued were healing, recovering. _Safe._ Her work often felt like it would never be over, but Valka knew she was making a difference - even if it was just to the individuals she saved, it was so much more than nothing.

* * *

"Hmmph!"

Eret glanced up, but Tripfire wasn't even looking at him. He turned his head back to his parchment.

"HMMPH!"

"What is it Tripfire?"

Still nothing. Eret sighed, looking around for something to ply her with so she'd stop throwing a hissy fit.

"Here, want some jerky girl?"

It took her a minute to turn, but Tripfire edged closer and swiped it from his hand with a full, soggy lick. Something she looked extraordinarily proud of.

"Thanks. I know you wanted to go. I did too, but I'm too recognisable right now and we aren't experienced flyers together yet. If we went, we'd put the others at risk."

Valka and Cloudjumper were out on a rescue, and Eret really had wanted to go, to help, but Valka raised the valid concerns Eret had just repeated to his dragon, who seemed to understand those points logically. That didn't mean she _liked_ it.

He was getting the hang of flying though, slowly but surely. Valka suggested, and Tripfire approved of, Eret making some kind of saddle that could fit her neck more comfortably than rope, and still give Eret somewhere to hang on to. So he was designing it, some of the basics he knew but there was still a lot to work out that was all new for dragons. Although Eret knew once he'd done that, he ought to start working on a flight suit so that when Valka finally let them join her on a rescue, he wasn't immediately recognised by other trappers, his ex-co workers.

"Alright, c'mere. I need to measure you again, make sure I get it all right or when I make it it won't fit."

It would have been much easier with two people to measure the bulky dragon neck, but Eret managed to get what he needed, glad to see his previous measures were indeed right. He'd already gotten the wool to pad the straps, in case the leather wouldn't hurt her. When he brought that up to Valka, she hadn't said anything. She'd looked at him kinda oddly, then simply nodded and went back to her sewing.

Now he just needed some big enough leather to make the actual saddle. He opted to practice with fabric first, keen to ensure the proportions were right before he wasted a lot of leather and messed it up. Tripfire did her best to be helpful, even if her idea of 'helpful' was stealing the material he was about to pick up, and to let out a dragon-laugh when Eret asked for it back. Eventually retrieving it, Eret got to work on his stitching while Tripfire entertained herself with watching the dragons flying past the vantage point of Valka's quarters. He told her she could go join them, but she was insistent on staying with him.

It made him smile, though he knew he ought to ensure Tripfire didn't become completely dependent on him - he doubted she would, Eret was just who she felt safe near as she adjusted to the nest. If he could get her to go flying by herself, he'd feel much better.

"Alright then. This ought to be the right size, though obviously the real one will be heavier and buckle up but lets see..." Eret wrapped it in place, nodding to himself as Tripfire tried to investigate "hold still, I can't see if it fits with you doing the head twist."

Once it was on, Eret was relieved to find it fit well, and he made a note to add a few inches to the slack so Tripfire would be able to turn her head comfortably.

"And this is why it's good to do a test run. Alright then. Go over my plans, then I can get to work soon. Valka's not back yet, so we should go do the check ups before we settle in for the night."

Eret was perched by a low fire sipping at some tea when he saw Tripfire's fins flare, heard the distinctive sound of dragons returning. He got up to go check - sometimes there were several injured or skittish, and Valka could use the help. To his relief, the worst they had that night was a few sprained wings from escaping traps hastily. That only needed rest and maybe some of Valka's healing balm in the morning.

"Fruitful trip?"

Valka lifted her helmet, head nodding once it was visible.

"Quite so. Not a large shipment, but a few rarer species intended for the market. And, as it was quite a high priced affair they ran, the looting was incredibly rewarding too. Lots of leather and spices, even some good quality metal which can be traded next time I head out to one of the outposts."

"You rogue pillager you. I'm so proud."

She rolled her eyes, having one dragon lead the others to where food and comfortable resting spots were while she removed her armour, stretched once the heavy material was off. Eret found himself with a peculiar sensation in his chest as he helped Valka move the haul into their correct spots, both sharing a quiet laugh as Cloudjumper presented Tripfire with a gift of some sort he'd brought back.

Watching Valka drop down next to the fire, warming chilled fingers - and stealing the rest of his tea - Eret realised what the feeling was.

He was glad Valka was _home._

-HTTYD-

**N'awh, Eret already feels at home in the nest!**


	7. Chapter 7

**GuardianDragon98 - Yep, Cloudfire! And yeah he is so pure and trying so hard bless him!**

-HTTYD-

If Valka had carried any lingering doubts about Eret, she was soon to happen across something that completely convinced her. Going in search of her fellow friend-to-dragons to ask if ehe was up for flying practice, Valka found Tripfire with her face in Eret's bowl of half-eaten stew. Nearby, her rider lay, shirtless and sleeping, surrounded by baby dragons. He covered his scar so often and Valka knew it made him feel guilty, to have been a trapper before, and so he hid the scar as though it shamed him often. So his lack of top covering was noticeable all by itself.

But the _comfort..._ to fall asleep out there, where any number of dragons could pass him by? It proved Eret trusted the dragons enough to be that level of vulnerable, and that the babies (and by association, their parents) felt comfortable enough to all wriggle up next to him and take a nap themselves. Valka felt her heart squeeze tight in her chest, indescribably proud of Eret and how far he had already come.

Tripfire noticed Valka watching, lowering her head and ruffling her wings as if ready to defend her sleeping human.

"I mean no harm, I'm happy he's settling here."

She approached Tripfire slowly, reached out with her hand and let Tripfire come to her. After a cursory sniff, Valka felt scales on her hand, smiled at the dragon who allowed her to stroke fingers under her chin. Tripfire was taking longer than Eret to settle down, but more time spent near the Alpha did calm her and Valka felt progress was good. Well, except for Cloudjumper, who was still having no luck charming Tripfire, though it was incredibly sweet to watch him try. He'd toned down a little, seeing that Tripfire did not like feeling cornered, and now she no longer growled at him.

So, progress.

Leaving Eret and the babes to their nap, Valka took herself off to enjoy some tea while she waited for him to wake up. She could go flying without him, certainly, but she'd promised to help him improve and, since he had put so much time and effort into fine-tuning a saddle that worked for him and didn't bother his dragon any, Valka figured he deserved the effort from her. Cloudjumper was hardly going to complain either, given the choice between going flying with Tripfire and _not_ going flying with Tripfire.

Heading back out to investigate, Eret's laughing protests reached her ears before the sight of him being repeatedly licked by not only his dragon, but several of the babies too - they obviously decided to follow Tripfire's lead, and so Eret was soaked in dragon spit and covered in overly affectionate reptiles.

"Valka! Help!"

"Oh no, I think you are doing just fine!"

She giggled to herself as Eret fought to get free, though Valka suspected he wasn't really trying all that hard. Tripfire eventually nudged the babies off him, which he thanked her for as he stood up and frowned at the mess they'd made of him.

"So, did you need something Valka? Or did you just turn up to watch me lose a fight to baby Nadders?"

"I came to ask if you wanted to go flying, but you were sleeping. Then I came to see if you were awake."

"Oh" Eret wiped ineffectively at his chest, and Valka saw the way he gave touching his scar a wide berth "sure. Let me just go get cleaned up."

He threw a glare at Tripfire, but there was no malice in it and she happily ambled after him as he walked through to find the wash bucket they now had to keep specifically for Eret to clean Tripfire off of him between baths.

"No! This is clean on and if you start licking me again we can't go flying."

Tripfire huffed, then snuck a single lick to Eret's face before bounding off and laughing to herself as he wiped it off.

"Cloudjumper brings you flowers to show affection but noooo, I get drooled on."

Clutching her stomach as Eret looked so put out while Tripfire looked so smug, Valka tried to slow her laughing down enough to catch her breath.

"Cloudjumper brings me flowers so I can paint. If you could make paint out of dragon saliva, I'm sure Tripfire would oblige you there just as happily."

Pretending to mock her before he grinned widely, Eret retrieved his saddle and Tripfire leant forward to let him attach it carefully.

"Come on then girl, lets get going."

Up in the sky, Eret's comfort was visibly increasing and he was much better at height now, adjusting to the thin air and they'd developed hand signals for if he was feeling dizzy or unwell. The grip on his saddle was secure enough that even when Tripfire rolled unexpectedly and he fell from the actual saddle, he could hold on. Tripfire also knew what Eret's scream sounded like now, and caught him much faster if he did fall.

"You want to try again?"

"Nope! You're insane, you know that?"

"You tell me often enough! Come on, Tripfire will catch you."

Eret visibly gulped as his dragon leveled into a steady glide, but Valka saw him draw his legs up into a sort of ungainly squat, still holding on to the saddle grip all the while.

"Don't drop me girl."

He let go, straightening up with a wobble that almost had Valka worried before he stood tall, looking around in awe at himself that he was upright and not tipping over. Granted, it was easier for him to stand on the saddle than just the moving neck and wing joints of a Stormcutter, but it was an accomplishment nonetheless, particularly for somebody who had only been flying a little over a month or so.

"Oh wow this is terrifying!"

"In a good way?"

"Yes!"

Valka smiled; Eret beamed, though she could see his knees were somewhat shaky with the rush that coursed through his blood. He sat back down soon enough, but Valka thought they may be able to start coming up with an anonymous flight suit for him sooner rather than later as he found the range of movement he needed to climb up and down on dragonback. They landed a little while later, and Eret stumbled from the back of his dragon straight into Valka, who'd been expecting it and moved to catch him.

"Thanks. My legs feel funny."

"They will at first, it's not easy but you have managed much better than I expected."

His fingers were warm against the bare skin of her wrist where he'd gripped her for stability, her pulse fluttering under the pressure until Eret let go, turning to check on Tripfire. Valka looked away herself, saw Cloudjumper had found a little patch of water to drink from. Tripfire hesitated, but she eventually headed over to join him and Valka _saw_ the effort Cloudjumper put in to not getting too visibly excited. He was adorable.

"Is there really nobody else out there like you? I mean before, I always assumed you were one axe short of an armoury, but now... I feel like it's impossible _nobody else_ has noticed these guys are pretty cool."

Valka hesitated in her answer, unsure where to draw the line at defending the secrets of her friends. But if Eret stayed with her long term, he'd find out eventually, surely?

"I know a few who live with them peacefully, yes. Not quite the way I do, but in their own ways."

Eret blinked, surprised.

"Huh. Cool. What are they like?"

"Well... they probably wouldn't like you much, but then if I hadn't seen this for myself" Valka gestured between he and Tripfire "I doubt I'd like you much either."

"Are you saying you like me? I'm so touched!"

Tsking, Valka turned away from Eret.

"You just had to go and ruin it didn't you?"

"It's a skill. Should we head back? _Someone_ stole my lunch and I'm kinda hungry."

She remembered seeing Tripfire having polished off Eret's stew, supposed it was fair he get the chance to eat again since she'd been the one to suggest flying. They saddled up and set off for the mountain again, Eret tempting Tripfire with some fish before he heated up more stew for himself.

"Do you see these others who live with dragons often?"

"Sometimes our paths cross. Why the sudden interest?"

Eret chewed thoughtfully, stirring his bowl to bring up more chunks of meat from the bottom.

"Curiousity I guess. I'm wondering if they are all as mad as you. I can stop asking if you want."

Valka relaxed, remembering what she'd seen earlier; Eret wasn't trying to scout out more dragon nests to capture. He was there to help her. He'd chosen the right side.

"Perhaps I'll take you to meet them sometime. So long as Tripfire can behave herself if they're wary of you."

The Stormcutter in question huffed and curled her tail around Eret protectively, nuzzling his head before sniffing hopefully at his stew.

"You had some earlier, back off would ya?"

"Hmmph."

Cloudjumper watched her, wistful, before turning to bump his head against Valka for chin scratchies that she happily offered him, heart warmed by his soft noises and relaxed posture. Eret was then drafted into similar by his dragon, who also wanted attention. And stew. But mostly attention.

* * *

Valka hadn't been kidding about wary, Eret realised, when he was held at the business end of no less than three very sharp weapons, several more nearby looking keen to join in the waving of sharp things. Before Valka had had much chance to introduce Eret, someone had caught sight of his branded chest when his tunic stretched open as he climbed down from his dragon.

"Valka! I am going to assume there is a sane reason you would _ever_ bring somebody like him onto our island!"

Seeing his dragon was quite set on freeing Eret by lethal force if needed, Eret whistled to her until Tripfire turned to him.

"It's ok Tripfire, please don't set fire to them."

The blonde woman, tall as Valka and with an equally intriguing accent, seemed to be the leader of the tribe. Maybe Valka hadn't been exaggerating when she referred to Mala as 'the queen'. Eret just hadn't been aware there were truly matriarchal societies; where he grew up, it was community based more than anything but there were a few male-led traditions.

"Mala, I promise you he poses no threat. I just didn't think I could explain it all in a letter that could well be intercepted."

Arms crossed as she surveyed the visitors to the island, Mala made a silent sweeping gesture to the villagers clad in hoods, obscuring much of their facial features and leaving him feeling like they were always ready to fight.

"Throk, keep an eye on him. Valka, with me."

"Yes my queen."

Valka threw him what he supposed ought to have been a reassuring smile, but the effect was dulled somewhat by the fact this 'Throk' guy looked like he would happily remove Eret's guts and have them for breakfast. Keeping his movements slow and deliberate, Eret edged over to Tripfire, reaching up to rub her scales and calm her, hoping to lessen the friction. Throk shadowed him closely, as though Eret might hurt his dragon.

"If it makes you feel better, and you promise not to damage them, I'll take off my swords. My father made them for me, so I don't want to lose them but I'm not here for a fight."

He felt incredibly vulnerable when he did so, holding them out to Throk warily - the island had a pretty big volcano, Eret's weapons would stand no chance if they wanted to destroy them. Tripfire shuffled closer, all but laying her head atop Eret's and he suspected if there were room, she'd wrap her wings around him protectively too.

"Interesting craftmanship. Where is it you hail from, trapper?" _  
_

"I don't know how well it would translate in these parts, so suffice to say my tribe lives very far up north."

Wearing clothes made from linens rather than only leather and animal skin had been unusual for Eret until he was a teenager and began sailing, since his tribe lived largely on things like reindeer and fishing. But at least it wasn't as cold down south where the Vikings lived, so he hadn't _needed_ so much fur anymore. He kept his shoulder wrap, pinned with the owl pin that had been his first successful attempt at metal working.

"I see. Commend your blacksmith upon your return. If you are allowed to leave alive, that is."

Tripfire growled, and while he couldn't see her eyes Eret knew she'd be glaring in warning. Throk didn't seem the slightest bit inclined to argue or threaten Tripfire, only Eret, but then Valka had said the Defenders Of The Wing were incredibly protective and loving to all dragons.

"You may release him Throk."

Mala and Valka reappeared, Cloudjumper looking a little... drunk? as he followed, nudging Valka playfully the second she stood still.

"My queen?"

"Valka has vouched for him, and the dragon clearly trusts him. I accept her judgement. If he proves himself unworthy of such trust, I will let you throw him into The Nest."

Throk frowned, but acquiesced to his leader. Tripfire straightened up, eyeing Mala with open suspicion as the queen approached, looking to Eret first.

"May I?"

"Oh. Sure, but I can't tell her what to do. She tells me."

Mala approached calmly, meeting Tripfire's eye, holding her hand out slowly. Whether she'd taught herself or been taught by Valka, he wasn't sure, but Tripfire sniffed her before pressing forward with a soft huff.

"Would you like some sagefruit?"

It looked kinda weird, not something Eret had ever seen before, and Tripfire looked to him for assurance. Eret looked to Valka, who nodded.

"It's perfectly safe."

"Go nuts Tripfire."

She took it, starting with a tentative bite much like whenever Eret offered her his food for the first time. Finding it quite agreeable, she swallowed the rest of the fruit in two bites, licking the juice from her nose plates and grinning at Eret.

"Good?"

When she licked him, her tongue was sticky and her laugh more smug than usual. Eret wiped his face, rolling his eyes.

"Not in front of everyone, gods!"

That only spurred her to do it more, much to everyone elses amusement. Unusually, she lost interest after a minute or so, instead stretching her wings out before flopping down and smiling at him like she was about to fall asleep.

"Uh, Tripfire? You ok girl?"

"It is the effect of the sagefruit. It makes dragons more docile. Which helps us with interacting with wild dragons."

"Oh. Ok. She's gonna be ok though right?"

"Yes, of course. We would never bring harm to a dragon."

Now realising why Cloudjumper looked half-drunk, Eret nodded at Mala. It was nice to see Tripfire so relaxed, now he knew it was a safe kind of relaxed.

"Come. You made it in time for dinner."

As if on cue, Eret's stomach rumbled and a few of the nearby villagers laughed. Eret paid it little mind - there was food on offer.

"Sounds good to me."

He perched next to Valka at one of the tables, not recognising half the food there in front of them but he tried one of almost everything, and most of it was pretty good. Their wine was nice too, left him feeling kind of warm and fuzzy inside. The villagers lowered their hoods for meals, and Eret would have been lying if he said he didn't notice a few of said villagers - female and male alike - were giving him the sort of looks that usually led to tipsy nights in tavern rooms, or on ships he crewed in his younger days before he got his own.

"Are you sure you do not want accomodation Valka? It is no trouble."

"Oh no, I'm fine Mala. I'll sleep with Cloudjumper."

"Suit yourself. Eret?"

Eret looked up at Mala from where he was sat examining Throk's blade - they'd been comparing notes on weaponry - and saw a look from one of the Defenders that he knew meant something. That if he accepted some sort of private room, they'd happily accompany him to it. Eret had thrived on such looks whenever he needed a break from trapping, a drink and a fuck to take his mind off the whole fear for his life thing under Drago.

Then he glanced over at Valka, with her gentle voice and soft smile and her patience in teaching him a better way. Eret didn't need to lose himself anymore, to forget where he'd be going or to take every night like it might be his last, knowing survival was never really guaranteed with Drago.

"Nah, I'm good. Tripfire wouldn't let me sleep alone anyway, but thanks."

They did give Eret and Valka furs in case the night was cold, but Tripfire's belly was more than warm enough to sleep against, the stones the dragons settled on for side-sleeping rather than hanging pre-warmed for comfort. Valka looked over at Eret, looking like she was trying to work out something confusing about him.

"What?"

"You didn't have to sleep out here. I can't imagine it's more fun than what Mikkel had in mind for you."

He shrugged, rubbing Tripfire's chest and smiling as she let out a happy little noise.

"I'd rather be here."

-HTTYD-

**I know if Valka and Mala had met (the bisexual energy would have killed us all) then the Defenders would have probably been a lot less confused and suspicious of Hiccup and co. But it's not like RTTE thrives on continuity anyway, so I'll have the Queen and the feral dragon mom be buds!**


	8. Chapter 8

**So, if you happen to follow me on Tumblr, you'll know that Changed got some fanart drawn of Tripfire and Eret and honestly its so damned cute! (if you want to see it, my url is the same as my username over there)**

-HTTYD-

"Hmmph!"

"Don't give me that! It's their rules, not mine."

Tripfire huffed louder, turned her back and refused to look at Eret. Valka had to suppress a laugh at how Eret's face said it was a very familiar sight, that his dragon had a predictable pattern for tantrums.

"What is wrong with Tripfire?"

Mala asked, looking concerned about the Stormcutters dour mood. Eret shrugged, looking over at the dragon.

"She's mad at me because I can't go flying with her."

The Defenders of the Wing did not ride on dragon back, and Valka and Cloudjumper respected it - they flew in and out, but otherwise they stayed on the ground together or Cloudjumper flew alone. Tripfire was less agreeable about such rules, and since Eret was refusing to put her saddle on she extended her displeasure to her human too.

"Can she not fly alone?"

"Oh she _can,_ but if she does that how can she possibly throw me off and play fetch with my screaming body?"

A few of the Defenders laughed, Mala watching Eret frown slightly at Tripfire's back. Valka felt for him really; Tripfire and he were bonded, and he seemed to make her feel safe. In a new place, new people and no Alpha to soothe her, it made sense Tripfire wanted Eret even closer. He circled around, persisting even when Tripfire tried to deliberately shift away until she finally let him scratch under her chin.

"I promise when we get home we'll go flying as much as you like, ok?"

"Hmph."

"I know. How about some trapper practice?"

"Trapper practice?"

Despite having taken both Valka and Tripfire's judgement of Eret's redemption well enough, Mala was still somewhat wary of Eret's past, and Valka supposed to an unknowing mind 'trapper practice' didn't sound all that great.

"Yeah. Why do you think I named her Tripfire? I was teaching some of Valka's dragons how to spring trapper traps, and my girl here is a natural. Plus she likes to burn things. Including trappers."

Eret was cut off by Tripfire licking him, though he didn't seem to mind since she was visibly preening with the praise. There was a gentle light in his eyes whenever he was with Tripfire, a peace she doubted he'd have found elsewhere. Something that seemed to come from a connection with dragons, an understanding and respect of the beautiful, amazing creatures that they were. She saw similar in Mala too, the Queen who had a connection of her own to the Great Protector of their island, the Eruptadon.

"I see. Perhaps you would allow some of my villagers to sit in on the lesson?"

Blinking in surprise, Eret nodded.

"Uh, sure. I take no responsibility for anyone who gets hurt though."

Valka sat with Cloudjumper and Mala on one of the wooden ledges outside of a hut near the patch of ground Eret and Tripfire occupied, Cloudjumper occasionally throwing Valka a wistful expression she understood immediately. As did Mala.

"I take it your companion is rather impressed with the lady?"

Chuckling as Cloudjumper feigned ignorance, Valka nodded.

"Quite so. Tripfire is only really concerned with Eret though, they are very close and incredibly protective of one another. I think... they needed each other, and found each other at the right time."

Mala sipped her drink, eyeing the way Eret set up the trap with practiced hands.

"Trusting him was quite the leap of faith."

Valka conceded her point.

"I know. I thought that a lot too, but Tripfire wouldn't leave his side the whole time she was grounded, and she still doesn't trust _me_ as much as she does Eret. The Alpha accepted him, and Eret really is trying hard to atone. I don't think he'll ever forgive himself, let alone ask anyone else to forgive his past but..." Valka gestured to where Tripfire had successfully dismantled a netter trap with a well placed swipe from precisely the right angle "some things you have to take on faith, I suppose."

Humming to herself, Mala had a thoughtful half-smile on her face.

"Agreed. Although I must confess when you first turned up with him, I rather expected his role in your life to be... different."

"Such as?"

Raising one eyebrow, Mala placed her drink down and turned a little more to Valka.

"Come now Valka, we are both grown women. You know _exactly_ what I mean."

Feeling her cheeks flush and knowing she couldn't even blame the wine, so watered down it was, Valka tsked and rolled her eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

Mala turned her eyes back to the spectactle of Eret attempting to tie a knot with Tripfire nudging him for attention.

"Even I can see he is rather easy on the eye. You live in very close quarters with almost no other contact with people. You are _human,_ Valka, no matter how much dragon there is in your soul."

"Mala, it's really not like that. I made him change his mind, I could hardly just send him away. But he helps with the dragons, and that's all it is."

"So you say."

"Because it's the truth."

Mala fell silent after that, though she did offer an affectionate rub to Cloudjumper when he leaned down to sniff curiously at their cups. Few saw Mala as she was now, relaxed and at ease with a woman whom she had nothing to prove to. Even the removal of the ornate shoulder guards she wore was rare, though not unheard of after the sun set. But she and the Defenders Queen had been friends over a decade - since Mala was a young teenager, when she and her mother had happened upon Valka after she and Cloudjumper were injured in a particularly vicious tangle with Hunters.

They'd taken her back to their island, nursed she and Cloudjumper back to health for three full days. Valka could even point out the faded scar on her side that was once a nasty cut Mala tended to. Acknowledging kindred spirits who protected the dragons, the Defenders taught Valka some of what they knew, and in turn she shared with them her own knowledge.

"I think perhaps those two were not the only ones to find each other at the right time."

"Meaning?"

Mala tilted her head, keen eyes trying to work out if Valka was being deliberately obtuse or not.

"I know you have the dragons, but I do fear for your solitude all the same. You seem... lighter than I remember. I think perhaps this Eret, son of Eret has done you some good."

Valka hid her face in her cup, unsure how to answer. Mala could really throw someone off with her deep, insightful comments in such a gentle, unobtrusive tone.

"I have Cloudjumper, I'll always be good so long as he's around."

Her dragon warbled happily, successfully distracted from pining for Tripfire to notice him for the moment. The female in question was taking a break and watching Eret, who was teaching some of the younger Defenders how to dismantle the traps without the help of a dragon. He really was trying to put the things he'd learned to a better use.

Eret was introduced to the Eruptadon the following day, and Valka found herself smiling at his wide-eyed wonder - the Magmadon species of which the Eruptadon came from were _incredibly_ rare, and even Valka in all her travels had only seen a handful of them herself, living solitary or in groups of two or three around active volcanoes. Even Eret the 'finest dragon trapper alive' had never seen one before.

"Wow. That statue down there doesn't do it justice, he's incredible."

Magmadons were rather... flexible in their approach to sex from what she'd seen, and Valka was fairly certain they didn't need a pair to reproduce. Which was handy, since they only laid once a lifetime, a trait Valka had never seen in any other species, not even the ones who were _very_ particular about conditions for mating and hatching cycles.

"Yes, the Great Protector is very impressive. And without him, all of this" Mala gestured out to the island below the volcano "would cease to be."

Valka would be lying if she denied swelling with pride when Eret proved how much he'd learned, approaching the huge dragon carefully, holding out an unthreatening hand and waiting for the Eruptadon to come to him. Which happened eventually, much to Throk's faint consternation - like Cloudjumper, he remained wary still.

"Hey there. I'm Eret. Still kinda new to this dragon thing, but you are really something."

Mikkel, who did not seem deterred by Eret's lack of displayed interest, headed off after him when they began to descend down to the village again. Tripfire was not pleased, grumbling in warning about someone too close to her human until Eret tickled her chin again and fed her some sagefruit.

"There you go girl, rest up."

Valka rather expected Eret to take Mikkel up on their offer now Tripfire was settled, but instead he crossed over the few steps and dropped down next to Valka.

"So... how'm I doing here? I don't wanna upset your friends."

He was worried about _her?_ Valka shook her head, not sure how to deal with his earnest attitude over the playful rogue he usually came across as.

"You're doing fine Eret. More than, it seems."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

Valka wasn't sure why it bothered her. Was she worried Eret might take up wth a Defender and stay on Caldera Cay? After she'd finally gotten used to having someone around again? And, admittedly, how _nice_ it was to have someone around. Cloudjumper was undoubtedly the other half of her soul and Valka could never replace him, but Eret cooked and told terrible jokes and helped care for the dragons in ways only someone with opposable thumbs could.

Despite doing her best not to get attached, to try to remind herself her life was not conducive to stable human relationships - her friendship with Mala was built on an understanding of that, and Mala never asked more than what Valka could offer - she knew if Eret left, she'd miss him. And Cloudjumper would definitely miss Tripfire.

Was she being overdramatic? Eret would probably never move to Caldera Cay anyway - he couldn't fly Tripfire there, and that would be one _long_ tantrum from his dragon. Gods, she was being ridiculous. Eret wasn't even interested! Mala's ridiculous insinuation about Eret and she... no. Valka wasn't going there. Shaking it off, she realised Eret was looking at her oddly.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine, fine. I always struggle a little being away from the mountain, but I do so love to visit here."

"I can see why. It's beautiful out here, and they have a really cool dragon and they heal dragons. I mean, if you didn't have the mountain you would probably move in here. I wouldn't. Tripfire would never forgive me."

Glancing over at the blissed out Stormcutter, Valka found herself laughing.

"I agree. She can stretch her wings on the flight home."

"I know. And I respect their way of life here, I do. I just don't like Tripfire being mad at me, and she doesn't like flying without me so its gotta be frustrating for her."

As Tripfire was effectively napping, Cloudjumper had seized the chance to bring her a gift without getting yelled at and left a bundle of local flowers next to her head. Ever since he'd seen her watching as Cloudjumper brought Valka flowers to make paint from, he'd started bringing flowers for Tripfire too. Valka considered it progress that they weren't immediately set on fire.

Having seen so few Stormcutters in her time, Valka had very little idea how they expressed intention. Lots of dragons used mating dances, but others used rituals and more used gifts. Gronckles brought shiny rocks. Nadders danced. Zipplebacks blew things up - the most explosive explosion usually got the attention of a female. For all she knew, Cloudjumper constantly bringing presents was exactly what his species did.

Tripfire woke to the pile of flowers, immediately looking around suspiciously but Eret was nearby and Cloudjumper a respectable distance away. Giving her space seemed to be helping his cause a little. She wiggled her frills at Eret, cooing until he went over to her.

"What do you want hm? More sagefruit? Is that stuff addictive? Is she gonna get mad we don't have it back home?"

 _Home._ The way he called the mountain home so easily struck a chord in Valka - he hadn't been there _that_ long, not really, but it was clear they'd forged a sort of living situation that both had settled in to and would probably prefer not to lose.

"No no, we have something similar anyway. Sagefruit is just a tastier option, and depending on how much they eat it can simply relax rather than induce sleep."

Cloudjumper huffed when Eret sat down to start playing with the flowers he'd brought over for Tripfire, grumbling but not going over to challenge him. He soon perked up - Eret turned the pile of flowers into a long, Tripfire-sized flower crown, draping it over her horned crown and laughing as she wiggled her nose plates, trying to reach the lowest hanging flowers with her tongue.

"Aww, you look like a queen yourself now Tripfire."

She preened, standing tall and clearly attempting to look haughty and regal. Cloudjumper looked very happy she wasn't rejecting the flowers he had brought, even if Eret had to turn them into something.

"My plan worked perfectly!"

"Your plan?"

"Yeah, to make Tripfire stop rejecting all the gifts right away. See? Worked."

Eret nodded at her very happy dragon, obviously quite proud of himself as he winked at Valka.

Valka _certainly_ did not like it when he did that. Not one bit.

-HTTYD-

**The question is not what happens next. The question is how much pining can be endured before we all explode.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I wonder if Mala made a bet with herself about Valka and Eret. Though that begs the question of whether she wins or loses if they got it on...  
**

-HTTYD-

Clinging to the saddle for dear life, Eret hoped that jolt his stomach did when Tripfire spun in mid-air would wear off eventually. He'd prefer not to feel nauseous every time his dragon felt a little energetic. They levelled out, letting Eret hop up to stand on his feet. He still couldn't do everything Valka could, and he'd fallen off a dozen times by then - still terrifying, but Tripfire always caught him - but Eret _could_ now stand for several minutes of gliding without his knees giving out on him. He only had a few months under his belt after all, compared to her _years and years,_ but it was important he learn how to move in the air if he wanted to go on rescues with her.

Which he really, really did. Valka had once been the bane of his life, freeing dragons left right and centre. Now he itched to be there with her, busting open cages and taking dragons to safety. By the gods that woman had changed him.

Well, two women, if he counted Tripfire. Which Tripfire would insist upon if he'd asked, Eret was sure.

"Alright, lets land for a minute, I still get dizzy from the thin air sometimes."

Tripfire graciously dumped him to the ground, pinned him down and licked him joyfully before ambling over to investigate the bushes nearby. Eret gave them a glance, didn't see anything immediately dragon-toxic and slumped back to the ground, wiping spit off his face. Damned dragon.

"Feeling alright Eret?"

Valka slid gracefully from Cloudjumper's back, looking less feral vigilante and more homely wife-type in the overlong green tunic she had on over a simple brown dress. That was territory his brain ought not to venture in to, Eret forcing his focus back to funny shaped clouds in the sky that was far away again.

"Uh-huh. Just finding my land legs again."

"You'll get used to it. You really are coming along well."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, smiled in that way that made Eret feel warm and happy inside.

"Yes. How is it moving around on the saddle?"

"Getting there. Had to adjust a little cus it was rubbing Tripfire, but she likes the new padding so I think we're getting there. I might try flying without it sometime, when I'm more used to standing but for now having something to hold on to is definitely needed."

After watching Valka mix all sorts of herbs and things, Eret made sure none of his ingredients were bad for dragons and mixed up an old saddle-sore recipe the Healer in his village taught him, and it had helped clear up any irritation on Tripfire while Eret tweaked the saddle itself.

"Have you decided what sort of armour you want to make?"

"Yeah. Well, sorta. I know I want my helmet to look Stormcutter-y. I probably won't make claws like yours on arm guards but I might make up some gloves if I can figure out how to fireproof them."

After a short break, Eret retrieved his dragon from where she was happily eating berries to fly back home. The fireproofing discovery was one that was entirely accidental - Eret was quietly working on a design for armour while a passing Gronckle stopped to scratch himself before continuing on, leaving a little pile of shed scales. Valka collected them up a lot, but she didn't like to trade with them lest they give her away so mostly she made little decorations out of them.

Tripfire, deciding Eret had ignored her for far too long, nudged his work from his hands and proceeded to nuzzle and lick her human until satisfied he had paid her enough attention. Rolling his eyes, Eret wiped the dragon saliva off of himself, stood to go clean up and heard a crackling under his boot. When he lifted it, he saw the scale had cracked, turning the Tripfire-drool around it the same turquoise colour as the scale.

"Huh."

Leaning down, Eret stirred the sticky mess a little with his finger, watching it swirl a little like paint.

"I wonder..."

Convincing Tripfire to drool somewhere other than _on_ Eret was a slightly tough sell at first, but she seemed excited when he said he might be able to paint in her colours. Using the Gronckle scales to test, he mixed a few into the drool and crushed the scales with a pestle and mortar, coming up with the turquoise swirling colour again, mixing until it resembled a slightly disgusting paint.

"Right. Now we need to see if using _your_ spit is more flammable than a gas flamer. Don't give me that look, I'm hoping this will be fireproof with scales but you have _very_ flammable drool. So I gotta test it. I can still use your scales yanno."

Grumbling, Tripfire turned and dragged over a passing Gobsucker - there really were dragons _everywhere_ now, and Eret couldn't believe how happy that made him. The Gobsucker kindly donated a puddle of drool, then resumed hunting for some fish to eat.

Valka found him painting strips of leather, visibly confused.

"What are you doing?"

"I think I'm making fireproof paint, but I will let you know after the fire test. Come on, lets head outside so we don't burn anything else girl."

Valka followed him, obviously curious herself as Eret and Tripfire headed out with excitement - this could be something _he_ did, that _he_ discovered, something that might even make Valka safer too.

"Fire when ready. Not too much though, just a test."

Tripfire flamed them, and Eret knew she'd huff when he pointed out the not-Stormcutter-spit one had lasted better than the other.

"Hey, it's cool. I like how very flammable you are, but painting it on armour would not keep me safe. I promise that's the only reason, ok?"

Eventually rolling her eyes, Tripfire let him cuddle her big head, warbling happily when Eret scratched her chin before dragging her big wet tongue over his face, grinning smugly.

"So I'm forgiven? Come on, let's go find a bag of your scales so I can start making Tripfire paint."

After finding himself in the vaguely ridiculous place of asking various dragons to spit into buckets for him, Eret got to work. He mixed up the colours to see how the shades came out, tested the paint on rock and wood and steel as well as leather. Running back and forth to test and mix and chase Tripfire when she stole his paintbrush, Eret was _exhausted_ when he finally felt he'd nailed the mix to get the right colours, the right level of fireproof over flexibility for the leather.

Valka laughed when she saw him, splattered with colour and groaning as he laid down on the floor next to the fire, batting aimlessly at his dragon trying to get his attention.

"What's so funny?"

"You. If somebody told you six months ago you would be making dragon paint out of spit so you could not only go on vigilante rescue missions, but _match your dragon_ when you do it, what would you have said?"

"I would have thrown them overboard, but that was then. Everything hurts. Stop laughing, meanie."

He heard Valka tut, but she was giggling again a few beats later.

"Very mature. Are you going for a bath before dinner?"

"Ughhhh. I should. But moving... nope."

Apparently feeling 'helpful', Tripfire picked him up by the scruff of his vest and carried Eret off, paying little mind to his pleas to be freed until she dumped him at the cave they bathed in.

"Are you saying I smell bad?"

"Rrroww."

Tripfire nudged at the paint splatters on his vest with her head, possibly telling Eret he was covered in the stuff or simply trying to push him into the water. Eret stripped off, and admittedly the heated water felt divine on his sore body, easing aches and strains until washing himself didn't seem like a terrible exertion. The paint was stubborn to remove, which Eret supposed was good - at least it was waterproof - but he managed to scrub it off in flakey bits eventually. Only when he clambered out of the water did Eret realise he'd forgotten-

"Oh my gods, I'm sorry!"

Eret turned around, whistling as Valka baulked and backed away herself, covering her eyes.

"It's fine. Although I'm curious why you're down here other than to check me out."

"Oh do behave. I didn't even see anything. But I noticed you probably didn't have time to pick up a towel, so I brought you one."

Peering around, Eret saw an arm and a hand in the cave doorway, fabric hanging from said hand. Tripfire was too amused to help, so Eret had to head over there himself. It was lucky he wasn't shy, taking the towel from Valka with thanks.

"You can leave now, unless you want to take in the view again."

Valka fled, though Eret didn't blame her, chuckling to himself as he threw on his bottoms - he'd hunt out clean clothes and change back up in the living quarters. There was a visible flush still staining Valka's face when he saw her, which didn't fade any when she turned and found him shirtless.

"I forgot clean clothes too, but I spared your blushes and wore something."

"Mhmm."

Valka was resolutely not looking at him now, so Eret shrugged and dug through his assigned trunk for a clean tunic and bottoms. His brand scar was a darker shade than usual, but that happened after a hot bath. He rubbed it absently, feeling the raised lines and phantom pains of when he was held down and punished.

"It's fine, I'm dressed now."

He had his round-the-nest boots on now, some he'd made for the purpose of running around the inside of the mountain, which was too rocky and covered in dragon bits for bare feet a lot but Eret didn't want to wear out his other boots either. They were well made, after all, had survived a lot of work already. Dumping his soiled clothes in the wash basket, Eret stretched out looser muscles than pre-bath, then dropped next to the fire and began fixing up dinner. Valka finally looked at him to take it, seeming relieved he was dressed. Eret wasn't sure if that was an insult or not.

She wasn't easy to fluster, so he'd take what he could get.

They took it easy the next day, testing how the paint had dried overnight and then just enjoying the rarity of a brightly lit, sunny day outside. Valka joined him out there, Cloudjumper staring wistfully at Tripfire stretched out on her side, basking in the sun on her belly scales. Feeling sorry for the oversized pining idiot, Eret pulled the metal pin off his chest. Holding it up at the right angle, he grinned at the reflection that skipped across the ground and immediately grabbed Cloudjumper's attention.

Valkla watched him, bemused until she realised that her dragon was now batting at the light with his wings, leaping around to try and capture it and growling when it escaped him yet again. The movement and noise stirred Tripfire, who initially looked ready to commit murder but then she too was grabbed by the shiny thing passing her line of vision. Both immediately began chasing it, springing forward with their wings to trap the light only for it to skitter away again.

Eret underestimated how big they were for such a game until they literally jumped _into_ each other, knocking heads and both straightening up, a little dazed as frills fanned and wings ruffled. Tripfire looked annoyed, but Eret caught her softening when Cloudjumper warbled what could only be considered an apology by the look on his face. After a short moment where they just sort of looked at each other, Tripfire huffed and turned away. Cloudjumper followed suit. Eret shook his head.

"Imagine being that oblivious."

Eret commented as the Stormcutters intently ignored each other. Valka looked at him, nodded slowly.

"Yes. Imagine."

-HTTYD-

**Yeah, I can't think WHO ELSE MIGHT BE REAL OBLIVIOUS HERE!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Biggest idiots on the planet back for more!**

-HTTYD-

Oh no. She was in trouble. Cloudjumper had that look in his eye. Valka considered backing up, but she could hardly outrun him.

"No no, Cloudjumper don't you da- ahhh!"

He leapt forward, flat of his wing joint jiggling her belly until Valka was in fits of ticklish laughter, unable to fend him off. Cloudjumper had discovered she was ticklish years ago, and he seemed to enjoy the sound of her laughing hysterically so sometimes he would just attack her with tickles, only abating when he realised she could no longer breathe. He roared with laughter too, stopping rather suddenly and looking over across the room.

Gasping for breath and wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, Valka pushed herself up on her elbows and looked over herself, saw Eret and Tripfire had just walked in.

"What did I just witness?"

"Cloudjumper... likes to tickle me."

A few stray giggles bubbled out of her - it probably sounded _mad_ to Eret.

"Right... no! Don't you go getting ideas!"

Tripfire seemed intrigued, butting her head against Eret's stomach and watching him wriggle away. Valka got the feeling Eret was ticklish too. Sure enough, she floored him with a long lick and nudged him down, imitating Cloudjumper and placing the flat beneath her wing claw on Eret's stomach. She pushed a little too hard at first and Eret grunted, but he was soon laughing and squirming to escape too, which amused his dragon no end as he struggled to get her name out between breathless giggles.

"Trip-Trip- Tripfire!"

Valka watched him too. He was so _lit up,_ pure and happy and free to just fool around like that without fear or danger. Tripfire laughed along with him, clearly as excitable as Cloudjumper about reducing her human to such a state. As Valka watched, she worried slightly - back when Cloudjumper was learning how to interact carefully with her fragile human body, there had been a few acci-

"Ah!"

There it was. Forgetting to mind the sharp point of her wing-tip, Tripfire had accidentally scraped the front of Eret's shoulder. He was only wearing a light tunic for around the nest, and it stood little chance against dragon claw. Tripfire backed up immediately, face fallen and panicked as Eret sat up, hand pressed to his shoulder coming away bloody. And yet...

"Hey, it's ok girl. Just a scratch, I'll be fine!"

Tripfire warbled, a low, sad sound. Eret winced as he stood, but he reached out his clean hand to her, ignoring that it must pull at the cut and trying to pet her. Tripfire flinched away, eyes still full of worry. Eret didn't relent, insistently trying to comfort Tripfire until she let him touch her again, though he stopped her butting her head to his shoulder.

"I know, you didn't mean it Tripfire. It's ok. I just need to go clean it up, alright?"

He was hurt, and he was worried about _her._ His dragon. The one who'd hurt him - accidentally, but still... Valka marvelled once again at the change in him, watched him smile reassuringly at Tripfire before he turned to go treat his wound. He struggled for a minute before turning to Valka.

"Could you help me get this off? I can't raise my arm properly. You're welcome to check me out while you undress me."

And there went the moment. Valka rolled her eyes at his cheek, but she did see how he might struggle to get his tunic off one handed and went to help. Though Eret was tall, with him sat down she had to bend to reach the bottom of his tunic, lifting the fabric up most of the way with ease. His skin was warm against the back of her fingers where they brushed his sides, a faint tremor barely evident but Valka worried he was in more pain than he let on, his good arm slipping out of the tunic first so she could slide it over his head, then finally his injured shoulder before it fell to the floor.

He'd lost some weight when he first got to the nest, between the aggravated wound and probably the stress and everything else. Not to mention he didn't think much of Valka's cooking... but Eret had filled out again with all the dragon-work and his own cooking, shoulders and back covered in broad muscles she could see move beneath his skin as he fussed with a nearby cloth, wiping blood off of himself.

Realising she was staring a little - and immensely glad Eret wasn't facing her, because he'd never let her live it down! - Valka shook herself mentally, then circled around to check his injury. It wasn't deep, a little jagged from where he'd jumped in surprise and quite long, so it would be annoying for him to move as he would probably pull it open a few times.

"Here, let me."

Valka took the cloth and dabbed him, feeling a sense of dejavu to when their lives first collided together. Eret watched her face, then her hands, as Valka cleaned his wound gently to assess it properly.

"You'll live."

"Oh thanks."

"Well, you've certainly had worse."

The scar on his other side, splayed across his chest so close to his heart it had damn near killed him, was healing, but Valka thought perhaps the internal scars might take longer. Eret had been branded like an animal for failing a madman, it was no wonder he flourished in such a fear-free environment now.

"Stay there a moment."

Picking up the basket of supplies, Valka dabbed a salve over the cut, covering that with a bandage and wrapping his shoulder with a cloth to hold it in place better.

"Try not to move too much, but it should heal quickly."

Her fingers had lingered on his shoulder a touch too long, but Eret wisely chose not to comment as Valka turned away, tidying up and throwing the tunic in the wash pile to be cleaned and mended. Now he was patched up, Eret stood - still bare on his top half, Valka absolutely didn't notice - and went back to trying to pacify his worried dragon.

"See, I'm all good now. I'll be healed up in no time. I'm not mad at you, ok Tripfire?"

"Rrrowwww."

Tripfire did not seem convinced, but Valka could barely tear her eyes away from how tenderly he treated the dragon, stroking her chin until his fingers must have hurt for it. Even Cloudjumper seemed to find no fault in it, Eret forgiving Tripfire so easily possibly even earning him a point or two with the male Stormcutter.

Maybe.

The strange moment was all but forgotten by dinner... at least until Valka had to check on his wound the next day, fighting not to flush when she prodded his already-warm skin for signs of overheating or tenderness. It was healing, but Valka wrapped it again to be sure and told Eret he was still grounded. He didn't argue, instead working more on his design for his flight suit.

"Hey, I have something to run by you."

"Oh?"

Eret tapped his charcoal against the parchment, nodding in time with it.

"There's a trader island I know, where dragon scales are a _very_ good currency."

"I sense a downside."

Eret sighed.

"It's a trappers trading island."

Valka frowned, shaking her head.

"Absolutely not!"

"I'd be fine. They know me there."

"And if they've heard about you being ousted from Drago's operations? You'd be _dead,_ you idiot."

Eret actually had the nerve to roll his eyes, like Valka was being overdramatic or overcautious.

"Then I say I branched out on my own. I'd be turning up with a bag of scales, they wouldn't have much cause to doubt me. Look, if you're really against it then we'll figure another way, but it would be a really good way to do a big supply run with something you literally have just lying all over the place."

"And how do you plan on getting there? If you suggest flying Tripfire there, I _will_ let Cloudjumper throw you off the cliff again."

Cloudjumper perked up. Valka gave him a sidelong look, which didn't seem to dissuade his want to throw Eret.

"I am injured, you wouldn't!" Valka crossed her arms, and Eret retreated "ok you would. I would want to fly part of the way, sail the last stretch. Too many patrols to fly in anyway. And you _know_ I wouldn't risk Tripfire."

Yes. Yes she did. Valka resigned herself; he was going to do something stupid eventually.

"You're not going alone."

"What?"

"If, and that is a big _if,_ you go to this island, I'm going with you."

"Have _you_ gone mad? Talk about walking into the dragons den... ok, bad expression, but you know what I mean."

Valka smiled.

"I'm more unknown than you are. Nobody has ever seen my face in a fight."

Eret opened his mouth, then closed it again as he presumably realised Valka was right. Hw frowned, thinking.

"Alright. But you'll have to go as my wife."

The ludicrous nature of his comment almost entirely quieted Valka's mind from tearing up painful memories.

" _Excuse_ me?"

"Trust me, it's safer that way. A lot of trappers don't see women much above dragons. The only way you could go on that island and not be at risk of being the next thing up for auction is if I say you already belong to a man."

Valka wondered if it was worth getting her staff to hit him with. Irate at the whole situation, Valka left him with a parting quip.

"If you try to touch me, I will offer you to a dragon as a snack."

Eret gulped.

Even as they prepared for the trip a few days later, Valka still didn't think it wise, but Eret assured her it was one of the two quiet times for trappers as it was - one right after mating season, to let dragon populations stay so the supply did not dwindle, and another right before dragon hibernation season, biding time and building supplies for the easiest of all hunts; a sleeping dragon. The more she heard, the angrier Valka got at the despicable creatures that were dragon trappers.

Clearly Eret was an anomaly. If she'd known when he landed what she now knew from him, she might not have even given him a chance.

"So, what is the plan?"

"There's an island a couple hours sail from the trapper island... it's where they dump injured dragons to, you know, wait it out, so it isn't real busy anyway. Then go back and harvest" Valka felt _sick_ "but it's almost exclusively used by the clan that focus a lot on Boulder Class dragons. Given that most wild Boulders are settling down to hibernate, best odds are it will be pretty empty. Still, that's why we're going at night with your Changewings. There are spots these guys can easily hide for a few hours. From there, we can sail. There's always boats, but we can take one if you're worried. Six hours without the dragons, tops."

Since he was the one with a saddle, Eret also had designed saddlebags, which mostly got used for Tripfire to put pretty things she found in. Eret had to keep telling her she couldn't keep small fruits like berries in there as it would get crushed and ruin the bags. Currently, the saddlebags were filled with a couple of sacks of scales, not too varied a mix - not all the dragons Valka housed were native to the area, and it would be suspicious. He'd also designed a sort of carry-bag for the Windgnasher who insisted on coming, in case he had too many things for Tripfire to carry back alone.

The ring felt uncomfortably heavy on her finger as Valka suited up, having insisted Eret at least cover his distinctive facial tattoo and wear a different style of clothing to his home-influenced Sami attire while they flew. He agreed, thankfully, so Valka didn't need to threaten him with her staff. They'd done a last check on any sick or injured dragons since they'd be gone much of the night and some of the morning, but with the supply of food, water and rest, all ought to be fine until they got back.

Tripfire was still mournful of her accidentally injuring Eret, less willing to be exuberant when they flew and overly cautious and gentle rather than boisterous and playful as usual. Eret gave her extra chin scratches before he climbed up on the saddle, pulling the hood up to obscure his recognisable features while he sat on dragon back.

Whistling to the Changewings, Valka thanked them for being willing to come on the trip, and they took off before they risked losing more of the night. She did have to admit Eret's saddlebags came in useful when he produced yak jerky and water canteens as they landed to water the dragons partway there, and Tripfire certainly appreciated the smoked salmon he tossed her.

"You want one Cloudjumper?"

Refusing to take a treat from _Eret,_ Cloudjumper turned his nose up at it.

"Hmmph."

Eret actually laughed.

"Suit yourself!"

Valka would have chided Cloudjumper, but she knew the boys would just have to work it out themselves. Refuelled, they continued on, Valka's stomach churning at what they might find on the island Eret took them to. Changewing scouts returned with news it was clear to go down, and while there were a few bones scattered around, that was the worst she could see where they landed.

"Ok. Listen up you guys. This should be safe enough, but if anyone comes and you don't feel safe, then _go._ You can always come back for us, but not if you're captured."

Eret was the one to pep talk them, surprising Valka with his forethougth and his willingness to let them leave him behind. She felt bad for doubting him, but the island they stood on unsettled her greatly with its usual purpose. She reluctantly removed her armour and hid the distinctive attire under thick brush, feeling incredibly exposed and like she was playing a facade of something she had no right to call herself. A _wife_. Eret looked her up and down, her simple dress and braided hair a passable attire she felt.

"Well, I wouldn't marry you, but they don't know that."

"I'm not above letting Cloudjumper dunk you."

Winking, Eret was unconcerned.

"Why Valka, I didn't know you cared what I thought. Come on, the sooner we do this the sooner we can get out of here."

They bade goodbye to their dragons for a time, and Cloudjumper was as unhappy about it as Valka. Tripfire was not impressed either, it seemed, but needs must. Transferring his haul to his own bag, Eret led her. Valka followed him through countless trees, the air heavy with the smell of death and loss and gods she was not alright at all with it. Every step she feared was on land that had witnessed a dragons final breath, _scared_ and _alone_ and-

"Valka?"

Eret had stopped, looking at her now and Valka realised the chill on her face meant she was crying, tears rolling down her cheeks. His fingers closed around her wrist, standing close.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think how hard this place would be on you. The water isn't far, can you make it?"

Valka nodded, and neither commented as she tried not to look and Eret led her by the hand still holding her wrist. She heard the sounds of running water and it filled her with relief, that she'd be off this awful island soon. Not that leaving her dragons there felt good, but if they had come this far she might as well see it through. They found a small boat they could use, and Eret thankfully let Valka largely work through her sadness in peace, though when he saw her shiver as they waited for dawn to break over the horizon, he pulled the fur wrap from his shoulders and dropped it over hers. It was _warm,_ and she knew it was from his permanently-heated skin.

That fact was more difficult to shift from her thoughts than it should have been.

"Aren't you cold?"

He shook his head, settling back down and glancing to the fading stars.

"Nah, I grew up up North remember?"

Valka glanced around, spotting land in the distance.

"Is that where we're going?"

"Yeah. I know you'll hate it, but try not to talk much. I don't think anybody will recognise your voice when it's not screaming bloody murder, but better safe than sorry."

Fiddling with the ring on her finger, Valka nodded. It wasn't a bad point he made. The island floated into view as Eret brought down the sail of their ship - sailing had never been Valka's strong suit, though knots and mending sails were easy for her, and Valka never complained about being put to work on repairs. Meanwhile Eret was a well-travelled sailor, and an excellent navigator according to himself. He'd gotten them there, so Valka had no reason to doubt him on it yet. He docked htem efficiently, seeming quite at home and knew his way round, dropped a handful of scales on the guards table in silence.

The guard leered at her, and Valka hated to admit she already saw the point in Eret's plan, as the smirk faded when he saw Eret grab Valka by the arm and pull her along. Climbing a winding path, the sun was beginning to eek its way over the horizon, chilled air starting to warm.

Valka didn't offer Eret his wrap back. He gave it to her. He could ask for it back.

As they reached the level where some traders had clearly worked through the night, Eret's hand left her arm, sliding down until his thick, rough fingers slid surprisingly gently though her own. Valka's heart fluttered oddly in what she was entirely sure was surprise.

Neither brought it up, and so they continued on. Holding hands. Like that was a perfectly normal thing they did.

She supposed it made sense if they were playing married, but still.

"Not seen yer around for a while now, ya deer rutter!"

Valka could only stand in quiet shock as Eret let her hand go - she didn't miss it, not at all - to throw his arms around a man several inches shorter and wider than him, none of the extra inches muscle.

"Yeah, long story Tar. I'll tell you all about it sometime, but I got things to do and this to deal with."

'This' turned out to be _her,_ Eret gesturing at her as he spoke. She was definitely going to hit him. Tar looked Valka up and down, his unwelcome smile showing several missing teeth Valka sincerely hoped had been knocked painfully out of his head.

"I could help ya there."

"Hey, hands off the wife Tar."

"Bit old for marriage ain't she?"

Valka already wanted to leave, Eret had once kept some truly awful company.

"That's the point. Too old to bear, good for sailing and not worrying."

Those words stung, though not for the reasons she reckoned they would have thought. Valka fought not to cradle her belly, mind drifting to her baby boy out there somewhere... would he come somewhere like this, carrying his spoils of battle?

"What yer in the market for anyway deer rutter?"

"Just some supplies. Leather, dragon grass, that sorta thing. Everything where I remember?"

"Aye. Drop by if ye got time, ye can tell us how the old wife is."

If he said a single word of the sort, Valka would feed him to the Bewilderbeast. They finally escaped the horrid man, Eret resuming holding her hand like nothing had happened but she had every impulse telling her to shove him and his horrid attitude away.

"I had to talk to Tar, he's like an unofficial greeter who gets paid to pass the details on to rival trappers. They call him Tar cus he sticks to you whether you want it or not."

"And he calls you deer rutter because... ?"

"My people, my tribe? We herd reindeer. The rest I leave to his colourful imagination."

Eret moved them through the half-empty streets, turning this way and that and _still holding her hand_ until he came to a stop at the front of a little wooden store, the heavy smell alerting Valka to the possibility it sold leather he wanted. Her suspicions were confirmed as they went in, Eret swapping a few overflowing handfuls of scales for some admittedly very fine skins, though his tone continued to be incredibly demeaning and at times repugnant.

"Wife? Where's your ring then?"

"Why would I wear one? Then women would know I was married!" the two storekeepers roared with laughter at Eret's 'joke' "nah, I lost it in a hunt and just haven't bothered replacing it."

"Speaking of..."

"We heard you walked out on Bludvist."

Valka froze; she was worried this would come up.

"It's complicated, but yeah I'm striking out on my own now. Doing alright, just needed to pick up some stuff and nowhere else was open."

"Cheek!"

Glad when they left, Valka continued to loathe every second but as the streets woke up, she soaked in information, able to stroll through anonymously and listen in without suspicions raised. Eret stopped off at a quirky little herb stand, picking up what looked to be a bag of dragon grass, tightly stitched.

"Good lure that."

The only upside to the men dismissing her as little more than Eret's property? They spoke freely in front of her, as though she wasn't even there. Valka listened as they joked about how effective the sedating effects were.

"Almost takes the fun outta gutting em after."

"Yeah. Well, I better get going before the nagging starts. Come on."

Three more stops, and only one of them didn't act like Valka was invisible. That wasn't an advantage - he asked Eret if he felt like sharing.

"No thanks, I don't know where you've been."

"Spoilsport. She's easy enough to look at though. Cost you much?"

"Trade secret. You got any more of these?"

By the time they _left,_ Valka was prepared to throttle Eret and about a dozen other men on the island. Away from humans and people seeing her, Valka had forgotten such things to the back of her mind. Even visiting her friends, they had different ideas, more respect between men and women.

Eret dumped his considerable haul into their little boat, waved to the guard and waited until they were a little ways away to turn to Valka.

"I'm _so sorry._ I don't... I didn't mean a word of it, I just know how these guys are and I wanted to make sure they didn't pay too much attention to you, so you can stay safe out there. I respect you so much Valka, I swear."

Gone was the cold, callous man who'd described her as a half dozen unflattering things in only the last hour or so, and in its place was a nervous, babbling idiot who didn't want Valka to hate him for the grotesque things he'd said for cover.

"It takes more than male ego to knock me down. Focus on getting back, it's lighter than I would have liked for the flight home."

Eret complied, though when they stepped back onto the island he faltered for a few seconds before reaching out and taking her hand again, waiting for Valka to look at him.

"I'm sorry."

"You said."

"No, I mean it. Honestly, my father would have threatened to disown me from the tribe if I ever spoke to or about any woman like that! I won't pretend we're Defenders Of The Wing level, but I was _not_ raised to see women the way those guys we just left do. Do you forgive me?"

"If you didn't mean it, what's to forgive?"

Eret hesitantly moved his expression to relieved, and Valka braced herself before they headed back throught the awful forest. The sound of Cloudjumper was an utterly welcome one, though the dragons jarred her effectively when they all looked at one specific spot - Valka still held Eret's hand. She let go immediately, clearing her throat. Eret did the same, already packing up bags for flight.

"Suit up, let's get home."

She had to give his fur back to put her armour on. The flight back was colder, but quicker as they had cloud cover to hide amongst, letting the dragons hit a better speed. Valka was very relieved to see the nest come into view, landing with the sense of _home_ infusing her like the warmth of a thousand dragons all cuddled around her.

"Hey Tripfire, I got you something!"

Eret had the sack of dragon grass in his hand, and it had the full attention of several dragons, though they were lingering back just enough to not intrude as Eret tossed the bag to Tripfire. She sniffed it curiously, then began to roll around with it, letting out random happy noises and rubbing her face on the sack as best she could, finally flopping down with the sack resting over her face.

Valka couldn't help laughing at the truly _bewildered_ look on Cloudjumpers face.

-HTTYD-

**Dragon nip toys would have been a hilarious addition to Berk. Just drop the pouches everywhere and watch high dragons happen.**


	11. Chapter 11

**I have so much fun talking to readers of this story, because its always "WHAT IDIOTS I LOVE THEM" or something to that effect. And it's true. They are idiots and I love them.**

-HTTYD-

"Do try not to get yourselves killed!"

Eret rolled his eyes, picking up his armour. Valka couldn't deny he'd done an incredible job on it. They'd been on a few test flights and his movement was not impeded in the slightest, he and Tripfire were increasingly good together in the air. And the detail of his Stormcutter influence, from the streaks of colour made of Tripfire's scales to the horns and frills on his helmet... it was incredible, and nobody looking upon him like that could possibly envision that beneath was somebody who had once captured dragons.

And honestly, she could use the help. Drago and the Hunters had really upped their games the last few months, and Valka had been out on rescues almost every night some weeks, added a hundred or so dragons to the sanctuary in the last month and a half.

Eret tucked his swords into the new sheathes he'd made, which sat against him more neatly so they wouldn't wobble in the air. Tripfire could barely contain herself, excited to be finally allowed to go out and exact some justice for her kind. Eret barely managed to climb up on the saddle, laughing as she shuffled her wings, looking expectantly over at Valka who was lifting her own helmet on.

"Ready?"

"Ready. Remember Tripfire, if Valka tells us to get out we gotta. Don't want you getting hurt now, do we girl?"

Tripfire huffed, but she was purring when Eret stroked a hand across her neck, soothed by her rider. And quite smug, Valka imagined, about Eret's colour scheme. The helmet muffled his voice some, but not so much Valka couldn't understand him. It ought to help disguise him, should there be trappers who could recognise his voice. As soon as Valka was up on Cloudjumpers back, they took off.

Above the clouds, their helmets came off to enjoy the night sky for a moment. Eret was far more adjusted to the thin air now, and when Valka looked over at him the only word to describe his face was _peaceful._ No hands on the saddle, just sat calmly amongst the darkness with Tripfire's wings beating steadily beneath him. To see such a difference in the man she'd met only months ago, insisting dragons were dangerous, flying them madness... Valka's heart skittered in her chest at his serene smile. Incognito chittered, returning from beneath the cloud to let her know they were close.

Tripfire turned to the rattle of Valka's staff, which caught Eret's attention and his helmet slid back on, leaning forward in the saddle slightly and preparing for the descent. They dove, circling the island of cages filled with dragons, a few of their own already peeling off from the group to start smashing up the living quarters - a quick and easy way to make it harder for the trappers to stay, if the choice was try to rebuild charred remains or move on. Only Vikings were stubborn enough to repeatedly rebuild... Valka shook off the faint thoughts of Berk, Stormcutter fire to her right garnering attention.

Eret crouched on the saddle, sword in hand, Tripfire pouring flames across a line of trappers to clear them from in front of the cage. For a few seconds, Cloudjumper was frozen in place, apparently too entranced by watching Tripfire cause wanton destruction to remember _they_ were supposed to be in it too. He leapt into action at last - well, flew into action - and they dropped down to where the cages were, picking locks and knocking aside any especially stupid, insistent trappers who kept trying to stop her.

In a frankly spectacular and _stupid_ move, Tripfire had Eret hang on her tail and used it to swing him into the fight without her having to come down, and he barely even stumbled as he landed before drawing a sword and standing ready at her side.

"Oh great, there's two of 'em now!"

"Just means more bodies to burn, move!"

Well, now it was definitely out Valka had a recruit of sorts. Not that Eret had been 'recruited' so much as adopted by a persistent dragon and dragged, kicking and screaming, into accepting them as friends before he became the type of man who slept amongst baby dragons.

Still... he was there to help, and Valka believed in his conviction, his strength for the fight. She held a hand up - a silent signal of "ready?" and Eret nodded, both moving as one to take down the trappers there. Eret was a skilled fighter and it showed, taking down three on his own while Valka knocked out a couple more with solid blows from her staff to their heads. Before she could warn him there was one behind him, Eret turned and slammed an armoured elbow into the beefy mans stomach, and as he doubled over Eret clocked him with the hilt of his sword, sending him down.

"Let's do what we came here for, shall we?"

Cloudjumper and Tripfire had burning things down well in hand, leaving Eret to prove he knew how all the various locks worked as he helped Valka open cages. There wasn't time, but she couldn't help noticing how he soothed each one, tucking a sword away so he appeared unarmed to them and holding his hand out until they saw he meant no harm.

A gloved hand gripped the horns of his helmet, pulling up the front visor to free his mouth so he could call Tripfire down with a sharp whistle - she'd never hear Valka's staff with all the yelling. Tripfire immediately turned toward him, swooping over and roaring a "follow us!" to the rescued dragons while Cloudjumper gathered a few of the stronger to carry the injured.

Valka leant down to pick up her staff, where she'd dropped it to unlock a cage, admittedly paying not enough attention for a few brief seconds. And it almost cost her dearly.

"Duck!"

She dropped to a crouch on instinct as she heard Eret's voice, twisting in time to see a hunter behind her get hit in the head with a hefty hammer, thrown by Eret from several feet away. She took in her surroundings with more focus then, saw nothing of immediate concern and straightened up. Eret dropped his visor again, and Valka wondered if she'd have even heard him with it down to muffle his voice. Hopefully the hunter didn't remember a distinctive tattooed face...

"Thank you."

Her hand laid on Eret's wrist, the only bare skin between his arm brace and gloves, helmet turning toward her and in the firelight, Valka could see his amber eyes alight.

"You're welcome. Come on, let's do a sweep and get out of here."

A sweep satisfied them they'd cleared that spot tonight, and so they took off with their latest rescues. Eret waited until they had cloud cover again, lifting his helmet and Valka could _see_ the excitement in him, the joy.

"That was amazing! Oh wow, what a rush! Look at all the dragons we saved!"

_That **we** saved..._

He spread his arms around to indicate the dozen or so flying alongside them, another three on backs of bigger dragons as they weren't strong enough to make the flight back. They were the sort to be sold for hide rather than fight, and Valka was thrilled they saved the dragons from such a fate. As was Eret, clearly, practically bouncing on his saddle and congratulating Tripfire for her amazing work.

"We make a good team, huh girl?"

"Rrrowwwwwww!"

Tripfire roared happily, spinning in mid air - there was a time Eret would have been thrown off, but now he anticipated and held on, coming out still on the saddle right way up... except his dropped helmet. Before either could go for it, one of their rescued Zipplebacks ducked down and caught it, beginning to have something of a tug-of-war with it until Tripfire growled. They gave it back then. Eret laughed, making a note.

"I better add something to my saddle to keep this on, huh? Either that or convince Tripfire to slow down the acrobatics..." Tripfire huffed "yeah I'll adjust the saddle."

Valka joined him laughing. He'd saved her, saved dragons, and he was now flying alongside her celebrating the very thing he'd once loathed her for doing.

Yes, it had been a _very_ good night.

* * *

It was only a matter of time, Eret knew, before he faced someone he'd once worked with.

He just hadn't expected it to be _Drago_ himself.

They didn't square off one-to-one, but they'd gotten word he was moving part of his operations, and that was the right kind of time to interrupt them. So they packed up Eret's saddlebags with smoked salmon and yak jerky, collected up all the dragons who could tolerate the brutal cold weather, and they went.

Tripfire picked up on Eret's tension, and it took all his strength to stop her going after Drago personally. He feared she'd get hurt - Drago was not afraid to kill for something like a minor inconvenience, never mind a dragon literally trying to set him on fire. They focused on the pairs specialty - springing the traps. Between them, they'd sprung several while Valka and Cloudjumper kept Drago occupied, far more skilled fliers and able to dodge the shots from the ships, landing several well-placed shots themselves that tore ships apart. Eret faltered mid-air when Tripfire turned to ask "where next?", eyes fixed on something in the water.

Something about the bubbling, bubbling, bubbling... it was familiar and he couldn't think why. He knew he'd seen it before, but _where?_

Tripfire dove out of nowhere, twisting out of the way of two armoured Thunderclaws that flew straight for them and Eret knew a moments hesitation.

He'd have had no qualms taking out dragons that could hurt him before. But now he knew... they weren't there willingly. He _knew_ Drago broke them, forced them. He couldn't hurt them for that.

"Just stun 'em girl, we're not here to fight them."

Tripfire dove again, intending to swoop up and attack but she didn't get the chance before Cloudjumper swept in, using his back legs to grip one Thunderclaw and fling it into its friend, knocking both out of the sky with a _clang!_ of metal on metal. The armour took the hit, but it took them out all the same... they'd obviously done that before. He saw Valka's _go!_ signal, pulling at Tripfire and narrowly avoiding a volley of arrows. The temptation was to go back, to intentionally destroy everything they could...

But that was risky. And they were there to do what they could without risk to the dragons. They'd pulled twenty out already, and they'd have trouble herding many more. Tripfire's well-aimed fire took out another armoured dragon behind Valka and Cloudjumper, the two Stormcutters sharing a look that felt kind of like "we're even now" before they had to move again, Drago's men attacking more viciously, and he heard a piercing, primal scream from Drago. Valka stood up straighter, shaking her staff with urgency and gesturing at Eret with her other hand.

"Go! Go!"

They went. There was no choice, it was clear. Eret heard a pained shout, saw an arrow had found home in the belly of a Nadder and Tripfire turned before he had chance to think about it. Flying under, his dragon trembled with the new weight but managed, and Eret carefully pulled the arrow out with shaking hands.

"Can you fly?"

The Nadder struggled to right himself, but he managed to take off with an ungainly leap and Eret was relieved to see him get going - stomach wounds were painful, but had the biggest window to get treated in general. A sudden barrel roll from Tripfire almost unseated him, but he grabbed hold of the saddle just in time as the water broke over spines, and Eret realised many things at once.

The Bewilderbeast at Valka's nest looking familiar. The bubbles reminding him, Those memories were hazy with pain and the smell of his own burning flesh, but Drago had branded him personally and _that_ dragon had been watching.

Drago's Bewilderbeast.

They pulled out of the fight just in time - Eret saw ice shards fly past him, knew a few seconds difference could have cost he and Tripfire their lives. Circling in the air, Eret's heart fell into his stomach when he saw Cloudjumper, but no feral vigilante woman on his back.

Drago's shout had he and Tripfire turning back, and with a worrying jolt that almost made him sick, Eret saw Valka far too close to Drago for anyones liking. He leapt from Tripfire's back, landing painfully on the closest ship and cursing the pain that lanced through his ankle and leg, but he could still move and it was all he needed, jumping up on to the docks and running toward where he'd seen them last.

Everything happened all at once, so fast he barely realised as he barreled into Drago and knocked the man flying, ignoring the loud splash and focusing on where Valka's helmet was several inches away from her, gash on her cheek clearly from the bullhook Drago carried and a dark stain beneath her head leaving Eret terrified.

"No no no..."

He looked up just in time to see one of Drago's men, sword raised - he intended to finish what Drago started. Eret leapt forward, gloved hands grabbing the bearers hand and twisting it. It wasn't until the man slumped with a groan that Eret realised what he'd done - the sword that almost took Valka now sat almost hilt-deep in the hunters stomach.A volley of fireballs landed around them, Stormcutters either side of them grabbing a human apiece as Eret scooped up Valka's helmet and staff. Tripfire dropped him on to Cloudjumper's back, then dropped under the dragon to give him somewhere to put Valka.

Eret leapt over to Tripfire then, heart in his throat for reasons other than the jump - it was riskier than he'd ever done before, and Drago might have drowned and his Bewilderbeast could be coming after them...

and none of it mattered if Valka wasn't going to wake up.

-HTTYD-

**Ooooop. Bit dramatic?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Spectrer - maybe you're looking at it the wrong way. The point of scenes like that are not necessarily to cause _you_ tension. Like in RTTE, all the times we saw characters come close to death when we _knew_ Dreamworks wouldn't kill them off? The point of these scenes is to make you feel for the characters in story. The ones who have _no idea_ what will happen. **

-HTTYD-

Whether Drago let them escape or whether the panic flight of two dozen dragons escaping a madman could outrun the Bewilderbeast, Eret had no idea. He didn't care. He just cared that when he turned back five minutes flight from Valka's nest, there was nothing following them. The ocean was calm below, not a ripple or bubble to suggest a hidden threat.

Valka hadn't moved. Eret kept checking she was breathing, terrified beyond belief every time that he'd find she wasn't. His hands were numb from clutching her so tight, but he dared not let go for a second. They landed in the nest at last, Eret dropping his helmet and hers, her staff rattling as it hit the ground before he was on his knees, fearing for how cold her hands and face were to the touch.

Dragons huffed and warbled around him, and Eret realised he couldn't just melt down. Swallowing thickly, he straightened up.

"Tripfire, take the injured to the recovery bay. I'll be there in a minute."

His dragon looked ready to resist with Eret so scared, but she seemed to realise he _needed_ her to help right now, and rumbled in agreement before gesturing to those carrying the wounded to follow her. Cloudjumper helped Eret move Valka to their room, any animosity between the two faded for the moment when Eret had opposable thumbs and Valka needed help. He felt the knock on her head, trying to be careful with the swelling though it failed to rouse her at all.

"I don't think it cracked her skull, but she was obviously hit or knocked down pretty hard. What were you _doing_ back there, you mad woman?"

Resolutely unconscious, Valka did not answer. Rinsing blood from his hands for the moment, Eret slowly removed her armour, revealing the thin limbs beneath that he knew belied her true strength. Then he built up the fire to keep her warm, pushed a pillow under her head gingerly and pulled a couple of furs over her.

"I have to tend the injured. Call me if she wakes up?"

Cloudjumper nodded, cooing sadly as he arranged himself to sit next to Valka, his tail curved around where she lay. Eret didn't want to leave, but if Valka could talk or move she'd hit him with her staff and yell at him for daring to ignore wounded dragons. He panicked he might mess something up without her there, but months of practice finally showed themselves as Eret moved through the new recoverees, taking the longest with the wounded Nadder from earlier as Eret stitched a ragged arrow wound and placed a bandage over it.

"Don't pick that. It'll heal in a couple of days if you leave it alone."

He doubted the Nadder would listen, but Eret planned on keeping an eye on him. Sighing, he filled food and water troughs, changed more bandages, applied salves and soothed one anxious Monstrous Nightmare until the dragon took some dragon grass and went to sleep. Satisfied there, he went to ensure the scouts were swapping shifts, warning them to be on the lookout. He suspected that the Bewilderbeast would be aware if another got too close, but Eret wasn't taking chances.

Cloudjumper hadn't called for him, so Eret knew realistically there would be no change, but that didn't make it easier to return to Valka's deathly still body, only a little relief in him for the fact her skin was no longer ice-like.

Eret had dealt with sick sailors before, and ailing elders in his village. So he sort of knew what to do. Valka had sustained a head wound, so he got some willow bark, ginger and rosemary ground up and steeping, ready to get her to drink as soon as she was awake enough to swallow.

_If she..._

No. Eret wouldn't think that way. Valka was strong. She'd be fine.

He ignored the lingering fear that gnawed at his insides, insisting even as his mind twisted that he was worried for a friend. That all those thoughts of _I can't lose you_ were nothing more than heat of the moment concern. Of course he cared about Valka. She'd saved his life and then opened his eyes. She brought him together with Tripfire, who he could not imagine his life without.

Just like he couldn't...

Eret made sure the fire would stay lit, then dragged another pillow and more furs over to the fire. He wanted to wake up when Valka did. And he slept in that spot mostly anyway... the fact he was sleeping right next to Valka was entirely incidental. He was... keeping them both warm. That was it.

Rather than take their perches up on the ceiling, both Cloudjumper and Tripfire laid on their fronts and stayed close to their humans. It helped, really, after such an awfully close call.

* * *

_Owwwww._

Valka's first awareness was pain. Her entire body seemed to be bruised, and her head was throbbing so fiercely it felt like it might split in two.

Her second awareness was _warmth._ There was the gentle warmth of a fire in front of her, burning down when she cracked an eye open only to close it again as light assaulted her senses. _Too bright..._

Someone was holding her. There was an arm over her waist. a warm, solid mass at her back. Not wanting to open her eyes and feel the splitting pain again, Valka felt the arm over her with her hand. Thick muscles, rough hairs, bumpy with small old scars.

For one second, Valka's mind conjured up a _long_ gone memory.

Then the mass behind her moved, and Valka recognised the voice of he who was _not Stoick._

"Valka? You awake? Gods, please be awake."

Eret asked, his voice low, rough with sleep and tight with worry. The arm over her tightened, then withdrew as he moved. There was a chill, his warmth moving and then replaced with heavy furs.

"Uhhh."

Her throat was dry, sore. _Everything_ _still hurt._ Eret was moving, noise telling her he was now in front of her. There was a _thunk_ as he dropped a log on the fire, crackling. Then fabric scraping rock right by her head, fingers gentle on her cheek.

"Valka? If you're awake, squeeze my hand but don't try to move."

His hand slid through hers, and Valka focused on squeezing it. The sound of relief Eret made was followed by two from dragons. Stormcutters. Cloudjumper! Valka tried to get her arm under her, but Eret pressed firmly at her shoulder.

"Stay. You got a nasty knock. I'm gonna help you sit up to drink, then you're lying down again."

His arm under her shoulders helped her sit up, and it was warm where it touched her. _He_ was warm. The water he gave her was cold and revolting, but she was so thirsty Valka managed to swallow most of it. Coughing slightly, she felt Eret gingerly lower her down, making sounds toward Cloudjumper.

"You can check on her, but _be careful._ I know you're gentle, but she needs to rest."

Cloudjumper grumbled, then Valka felt a scaled head nudge her hand. Her arm felt like it was weighed down by rocks, but Valka lifted it blindly until she was stroking Cloudjumper and instantly she felt better. Cracking open one eye again, she saw his big beautiful face up close, sighing happily.

"I'll be fine, don't you worry Cloudjumper."

"He's been going crazy. You've been out for two days."

Had she really? Gods, no wonder they were worried.

"What... what happened?"

"I'll explain when you're feeling better. Drink more, it'll help your head."

She choked down more of the steeped water, and Eret finally gave her fresh after that, helping rinse away the taste. That brought a new need to the fore, one she really didn't want to mention to Eret but she had little choice.

"Eret."

"Yeah?"

"I need... I need the bathroom."

Her cheeks burned, but Eret thankfully didn't disappear and leave her to handle it.

"Oh. Uh. Ok. I'm gonna see if you can stand, but if not, I'll carry you."

Her legs wouldn't bear her weight, so Eret lifted her like she weighed nothing and moved her, the shuffle of dragons following them until Eret told them to wait. He put her down, told her to take her time and call him when she was done. Valka could see, though not very well through blurry vision and her arms were weak enough she almost had to ask Eret to help her get her leggings down. Thankfully she was spared _that_ mortification.

Some awkward fumbling and much relief later, Valka called him back in. Eret carried her back to her room, asked if she wanted her bed or the fire.

"Bed."

"You got it. Hold up, I'll get your beddin- oh. Dragons got it."

He tucked her back in, warm and comfortable and on her side.

"Cloudjumper is gonna stay with you. I need to go check on the injured, then I'll be back. _Stay._ Cloudjumper, if she moves, yell."

"Rrow."

Apparently, they were friendlier now. Or perhaps bonding over Valka's illness, and they'd be back to mild snipping later. Eret left, and Valka settled amongst her furs and tried to ignore the aches all over her body. Cloudjumper sat sentinel near her, rumbling quietly to let her know he was close.

Eret was back soon enough, asking how she felt.

"Sore."

"I can imagine. Anything feel broken?"

"No. Just my head."

"I checked, couldn't feel any breaks. Think you could swallow some soup? Or watery broth?"

Valka doubted she'd be able to feed herself, but she was going to try anyway.

"Broth."

"You got it."

The smells were enticing, though her stomach seemed unsure about whether or not food was wise. Eret made a very weak broth for her, a couple of vegetables and a few tiny bits of meat. And he _fed her_ when Valka couldn't lift the spoon without shaking. If it weren't for how comforting it was to feel him hold her up with one arm around her, the other feeding her small mouthfuls... she'd probably have turned him down to save her embarassment. But he was so tender with her, caring without belittling or debasing her, and it left her unable to argue.

"There's a bucket next to the bed, I know head wounds can cause sickness so I promise not to take it as an insult to my cooking. Try to rest."

"Stay?"

Eret didn't laugh at her sudden utterance, thankfully.

"I am. I'm just getting something to eat myself, but I'm literally the length of Cloudjumper's tail away."

Of course. He'd probably need to eat too. Eret wasn't gone long, and then he sat back next to her, talking quietly to Tripfire. Valka dozed, not quite asleep, not quite awake but _very_ aware of Eret's fingers brushing her wrist, as though checking her pulse to see she was alive. She only realised how long they stayed that way when Eret moved again.

"I gotta take the dragons out for lunch and do the injured bay feed. When I get back I'll feed you. If you need me, send Cloudjumper."

Valka wondered what had hit her, but she also wondered what might have happened without Eret there. Sure, the dragons could take care of feeding themselves, and bringing excess to those who couldn't hunt, but human hands could treat injured dragons in a way other dragons couldn't, and there were always some that needed healing help. And there would be nobody to help _her_ if she'd never turned Eret to the right side.

He came back smelling like sea air and salmon, most of which seemed to go to Cloudjumper with a little coaxing from Tripfire.

The next two days passed much like that, Valka's vision slowly clearing up until she could see well enough to move around, and with Eret keeping her fuelled on increasingly sustaining broths, her legs were strong enough to hold her. She still felt battered and bruised, but according to Eret the scouts came back with no need for rescues yet, and so she had time to recover.

"What happened?"

Eret looked her over, obviously deciding she was well enough to hear it.

"Drago. We were freeing a bunch of dragons while he was on the move... do you remember any of it?"

Valka shook her head, then regretted it. The knock on the back was still sore.

"No."

"Ok. Well, it went alright mostly, then kinda bad, then _really_ bad. We didn't lose any dragons, but we did find out Drago has a Bewilderbeast. Next thing I know, you've vanished and I find out squaring up to Drago.. By the time I reached you, you were out cold on the floor, helmet off. I rammed Drago into the drink, then..."

Mind already reeling, Valka didn't like the look on Eret's face any more than any of the words he'd spoken.

"Then what?"

"This... soldier of Drago's... it was him or y- us, I swear. He came at you with a sword, ready to take you out. I fought him off, but I'm pretty sure I killed him."

He... Eret killed someone. To save _her._

"Anything else?"

"No. Cloudjumper and Tripfire got us out of there, and we flew like mad to get out. Then we waited two days for you to wake up."

Gods, she really had missed a lot.

"Wait. _Drago_ has a _Bewilderbeast?"_

Eret nodded.

"Yeah. I _knew_ it seemed familiar, but I remembered where I saw it. It was there when Drago branded me, I just blocked it out from all the pain and burning."

"Oh my gods. He... he's going to challenge the Alpha."

"And... thats bad, yeah?"

Valka nodded, head pounding.

"Very. The Alpha... he could control _all_ of dragonkind. Without even trying. My gods, what has he done to that creature to bend him to his will? Eret, every peaceful, tranquil life that goes on here would be over. Gone. Completely. Were we followed?"

Eret shook his head.

"No. I checked. A lot. I knew we'd be vulnerable with you out of action. I made sure the scouts took extra shifts to be sure, but it's been quiet out the whole time."

That was lucky, she supposed, since Valka was definitely still too weak to fly. Especially in a fight. She'd probably fall off Cloudjumper in her current state.

Which raised another issue.

"What's the big deal?"

"Are you serious?"

"I'm not gonna look!"

"That's not the point!"

Eret rolled his eyes.

"I grew up in a village with _one_ place that you could take a bath and not freeze off important parts. And then I spent years on a ship with between six and ten other men. This is not a big deal to me."

He made her feel silly - Berk had had communal bathing, after all, but Valka had bathed alone for fifteen years save a few times when visiting the Wingmaidens or Mala, and the prospect of _Eret_ in there with her made her feel... odd.

"It is to me."

"I know. And I will do my best to not make it tough. But I can't leave you alone in there to pass out and drown, and you have _so much_ hair I cannot get the all the blood out with a bucket rinse. You can undress, or not if that suits you, and get in while I'm not looking. Then I'll get in, wash your hair and get out to wait outside. Cloudjumper can yell if you start drowning. Does that work?"

Reluctantly, Valka agreed. Solely because her hair felt disgusting, and she wasn't sure she could hold her arms up long enough to unbraid it, let alone wash it. Definitely the only reason.

She debated for several minutes before telling herself she was being ridiculous, and took off her clothes. It wasn't easy, particularly undoing her bindings but Valka was relieved to get them off - her clothes were _filthy._ She definitely needed a bath.

"Eret, did you bring me a clean shift?"

"Yep. And two towels, since I figure your hair needs its own."

His voice came from outside, echoing off the walls and while Valka doubted he'd have peeped anyway, Eret wouldn't be able to see past Cloudjumper. She shuffled closer, lowering herself into the heated water.

"Ohhhh thats good."

"You in?"

Valka swallowed. He couldn't see her under the water.

"Yes."

Eret walked in with no tunic on, several bundles of fabric in his hands. He laid her shift on the rocky hook she always used, eyes not even lingering on her discarded underthings that Valka realised she'd just left in view. If she wasn't _so comfortable_ in the hot water, she'd probably blush.

"You watching me strip? You can if you want."

"Oh. No."

She turned away, heard Eret chuckle.

"Your loss!"

Valka heard fabric hit the floor, then footsteps, then the water rippled as Eret dropped down next to her.

"I'm gonna untie your hair, if I hurt you then just say and I'll try and be more careful."

Eret was _so_ gentle with her Valka barely felt him, his knuckles brushing the small of her back a few times as he gripped each of her braids to lift and untie, combing through them with his fingers until they came apart enough. How were his hands warmer than the water steam rose from? His hand moved in the side of her vision, grabbing the soap solid waiting.

"I'll be gentle."

His words were as soft as his touch, doing his best not to jar her still-sore scalp as he worked the solid over her hair, shifting stubborn dried blood and dirt that matted the greying strands. Over and over - Valka had a _lot_ of hair, but never seemed to get to cutting it shorter - until he placed the solid aside, using his fingers to work it into the more resistant spots. Valka's hand tightened where she gripped the rocky edge of their bathing area, unsure if she was dizzy from the heat or his hands.

Her scalp was _so_ very sensitive, no wonder it had hurt so much. Now it was letting Eret reduce her body to some kind of semi-liquid state, not realising until his elbows touched her shoulders that she had sort of... melted back into him. Eret didn't stop, kept going until Valka hissed as his thumb brushed the healing lump on the back of her head. And even then she didn't pull away from him. Eret didn't move either, just apologised quietly and let her use him as a leaning spot.

Valka only pulled away when she _felt something,_ a rather solid something that could not be Eret's hands, since they were resting nearer head heights. Eret seemed to realise the same thing, clearing his throat loudly taking a few water-steps back.

"Wanna just... dunk down and rinse?"

"Oh. Yes."

Both their voices were definitely a little higher than they were earlier. Valka kept hold of the ledge as she took a breath, dipping down under the water and using her other hand to rub away the soap in her hair. She came back up, felt Eret touch her hair to check but there was no lingering, stroking. Valka wondered why she missed it.

"Once more."

Valka complied. He said she was done, then he was climbing out of the water rather quickly.

"I'll be outside. Try not to drown."

He left with his bottoms and towel before he even got dressed, leaving Valka in the water feeling very, very strange. She stayed until the water began to cool, then reluctantly washed her body as best she could around all the still-painful bruises, finally climbing out and thankfully not falling back in or falling over. The first towel went around her hair to try and contain the drips, though it was near hopeless with Valka's slow-to-return strength. She pulled her shift back on after using the other towel to dry herself, then stood up and tried to wring her hair out.

"You all good in there?"

"Fine. I'm out, you can go."

Eret didn't answer, but when Valka padded out he was gone. Cloudjumper carried her up through the mountain until she was back at the fire. Eret's back was to her, still a little wet and shiny with missed droplets of water. Valka's hairbrush was at his side - was he planning to brush her hair too? Granted, she could use the help braiding it back up...

"Eret?"

He turned to her voice, then turned away rather quickly and cleared his throat.

"You uh... you might wanna put something else on."

Valka frowned, looking down before she realised what he meant. Her wet hair had rendered her pale shift _almost_ completely see through, wet fabric clinging to almost every curve and bump of her body. When she looked back at Eret, his shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. In a moment of madness, or maybe it was the head wound talking Valka decided _she_ could finally get one over on him.

"No no, I'm fine."

-HTTYD-

**Hehehehe. Oh, I love these two.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I had _so_ much fun with the last chapter. PINING INTENSIFIES!**

-HTTYD-

Eret wouldn't deny surprise, but then he supposed it made a bit of sense? Valka's hair was still wet, and so putting on _another_ set of clothes to soak through was pointless before she dried by the fire some. And apart from the initial surprise view, he wouldn't have seen anything anyway while stood behind her, fixing her hair.

"Hop on."

He gestured to the stool - her hair was far too long to brush on the floor. Valka eyed the stool warily, and he knew her concern.

"I won't let you fall."

After a few more seconds wavering - with Eret's focus resolutely on her face and not the clinging, revealing fabric on her body - Valka acquiesced, letting him wring out as much moisture as he could from her hair, then stood working the brush through it so it could dry by the fire before he braided it back up. She wobbled a bit getting on the stool, but was remarkably still as Eret worked quietly.

If only _she_ was so quiet.

He'd had the same problem in the bath, and Valka had _noticed._ Well, he was pretty sure she had, by the way she pulled away from him after melting in his arms from the hair washing. Maybe she hadn't noticed. He hoped that was the case. Because Valka was making those _sounds_ again, and Eret was hard pressed to ignore the mewling, breathy sighs of someone _clearly_ enjoying the attention to their scalp. She must be sensitive there to be _so_ responsive to him doing something as simple as brush her hair, but still... Eret was glad she wasn't facing him.

He got the feeling the dragons noticed something though. They were watching curiously as Eret brushed Valka's hair, as though trying to understand what the humans were doing.

"Do dragons groom each other?"

"Hmm?" Valka seemed to rise from a daze, straightening up slightly as Eret began the intricate work of braiding _so much hair_ "what was that?"

"Dragons. Do they groom each other?"

"Some species do. Mostly mothers tending their babies. Why?"

"Because Tripfire and Cloudjumper are watching us like I've started doing a funny dance and you joined in."

Valka turned her head slightly, seeing their reptilian audience.

"It's new for them, I suppose."

"True. And they're probably still worried about you, and making sure you don't suddenly fall over."

Her hair was only a little damp by the time he'd finished braiding it, thanks to his towel drying and the roaring fire nearby. He stepped away, circling round in case Valka needed help down. She opened her eyes, seeming surprised.

"You're done?"

"Yeah. Not the exact same as you usually wear it, but I didn't know how to do that, so I did how my grandfather taught me."

Valka slid down from the stool, running her fingers over the braids themselves.

"Your grandfather taught you?"

"Yeah. He had hair about as long as yours when I was a kid, and his hands were getting really stiff. I'd already started learning to tie knots and braid rope, so I learned to do his hair for him too after every bath night."

She smiled softly.

"That's very sweet. Thank you for helping me."

"No problem. Want some dinner?"

He cooked and they chatted, quiet and intermittent while Valka stroked Cloudjumper and Eret tried to keep Tripfire out of the cooking pot before she burned her nose plates. She grumbled until Eret tossed some fish over for her, and both he and Valka watched as Tripfire considered the pile, then picked up one fish and threw it over to Cloudjumper. The male dragon looked like all his birthdays had come at once.

Did dragons celebrate birthdays?

Valka smiled fondly as Cloudjumper took the fish, chewing before he returned to the humans side to continue reassuring himself Valka was still there. Tripfire saw Eret looking at her, huffed and turned back to her food. Cloudjumper's utter panic about Valka's injuries had diluted a lot of tension between the three conscious ones, since even Tripfire wouldn't kick a dragon when he was down, and Cloudjumper needed Eret to take care of Valka with his human hands, something even Cloudjumper's dextrous wing claws could not do.

After eating, Tripfire grabbed her dragon nip bag and seemed content to laze on the ground with it, occasionally rolling around and rubbing her face on it before stilling again. Valka could feed herself again, so their stew and flatbread meal went over well. She still needed more rest though, so he mixed up the medicine for her head again and promised to check on the dragons before he went to bed himself.

Tending dragons in the injury bay took longer and longer now - not because of numbers, but because Eret had a bad habit of getting distracted petting the dragons. They were such affectionate, sweet things and _damn_ he never expected to think such things, but he couldn't imagine never knowing now. Tripfire had followed him out, was making sure Eret didn't seem to be giving any other dragon _too_ much attention instead of her.

"There we go buddy. Rest up. You should be able to move back with the other Hobblegrunts tomorrow."

That got him a happy chitter for his troubles before Eret moved on to the next dragon, scratching under a scaled chin before he checked on a healing broken wing.

"Valka will be back soon, but she got hurt and needs to rest too. I promise she hasn't forgotten you."

Talking really seemed to help keep dragons calm when Eret was messing with wing splints, which could be incredibly painful for them but they seemed to understand well enough that they'd be able to fly again if they allowed it. Eret put a soothing salve on the wing bone, which helped keep pain and swelling down. Refilled water, a couple of folded furs for pillows and a little grass for each dragon that needed help to get to sleep later, Eret saw Tripfire ruffling her wings, head turned toward one of the tunnels that would take them outside.

"You wanna go flying before bed?"

Tripfire nodded, warbling happily.

"Alright, alright. Quietly girl, don't wake the sick dragons. You want a gentle flight, or shall I get the saddle?"

Tripfire opted for a gentle flight, and Eret was able to go without the saddle for that - he did tie a rope on her, but only to hold on when she was taking off. Once she levelled out for them to glide together, he could just sit comfortably by then. Tripfire usually preferred a lot of diving and spinning, but sometimes they just... _flew._ The ocean waves barely visible below, clouds still far above, they middled out where the air was brisk but not freezing, the only sounds a little wind and Tripfire's wingbeats.

"You know Tripfire, if you like Cloudjumper it's ok."

The dragon shifted beneath him, twisting her head to try and appear threatening. Eret rolled his eyes at her, rubbed the back of her head affectionately.

"Alright, alright! I didn't say anything."

Chuckling to himself, Eret indicated they should get back soon - they hadn't told Valka they were going, and he didn't want her worrying. Stretching her wings had done Tripfire some good though, and after several licks to Eret, she gave a little dragon laugh before moving to hang upside down from her usual perch. Eret wiped himself down, took off his tunic and tossed a log on the fire to keep it burning just enough to warm the room. Valka was fast asleep, bundled up under a few furs. She'd drunk her medicine, which was good. Eret curled up with his furs and pillow, stretched out with a yawn and closed his eyes.

"I'll be fine!"

They'd had the same debate three days running now, Valka insistent on going flying and Eret pointing out she still wobbled on stairs. Ultimately, he couldn't _stop_ her, but if Eret asked Tripfire to tell Cloudjumper not to fly while Valka was recovering... it had kept her down so far.

"If you want to go flying, I'll _take_ you flying. But you are _not_ fit to stand on Cloudjumper's back right now."

It had seemed a much more sensible offer before it happened, Eret mused. Valka agreed to being taken flying, itching to get back in the sky. Which meant one thing; them sitting very close together on his saddle. Cloudjumper looked torn between betrayal that Valka was on Tripfire's back, and happiness that she wasn't in any danger.

Eret wasn't sure letting Valka sit at the front of the saddle was wise. She fit against him so well, her back to his chest as he leant around her to hold the saddle. Her hands brushed his on the handles. They were only designed for one person, and so the two gripping was a snug fit. But then she let out a sound of pure joy at being back in the air, and Eret knew he was going to deal with his own discomfort just to let her have the time up there. Even if the scent of soap on her hair lingered just enough to remind him that he'd been the one to wash her...

"How do you feel? Don't faint on me now."

"I'm fine. Oh, I have missed this. There isn't a freedom like it."

They flew for a little while, Cloudjumper close by and Tripfire incredibly patient with them. And then Valka let go of the saddle grip, holding her arms out in that way she did as though she had wings to spread. Probably alright, usually, but Tripfire had to jump to avoid a juvenile Thunderdrum from barreling into them, and Valka very nearly got bucked off the saddle altogether. Eret grabbed her on instinct, one hand on the saddle and the other around her thin waist, feeling her smaller hand against his as she gripped on too.

"You alright?"

"Yes, yes. I concede you were right I try this way first."

Eret nodded, though she couldn't see him.

"Told you. I won't let you fall."

* * *

"For a moment, I did not recognise you Eret, son of Eret."

Eret placed his helmet aside, bowed his head to Mala as Valka slid down from Cloudjumper's back.

"Yeah, I finally made some flight gear. Now me and Tripfire match!"

Tripfire roared happily, then pottered toward Mala's outstretched hand for attention. And probably sagefruit. But she did seem to geuinely like Mala - except for the flight ban, that was. That did not sit so well with Tripfire, but now Valka was back at full strength, they needed to start warning her allies, few and far between as they were. The fact Drago had a Bewilderbeast on side was not something to keep to themselves.

Mala had food and drink ready within half an hour, and then she sat listening with her eerie level of focus as Valka tried to explain. The trouble was she'd suffered that head knock, and it ruined her memory of the moments around it. So she had to keep deferring to Eret, who was happy to volunteer the information but still mildly terrified of serious Mala.

"Have you visited with the Wingmaidens?"

"No. Once we leave here we'll check in at the nest, and then the Wingmaidens are our next stop. I haven't even had the chance to introduce them to Eret yet, but by the time we get there the hatching season will be over, and that's the most dangerous for him."

Eret's eyes widened as he looked between the women.

"Why is this dangerous for me?"

"The Maidens live with dragons who do not like males. Cloudjumper and I can only visit at certain times because of it."

He started laughing, confusing Valka at first.

"Man hating dragons is usually a euphemism for nagging wives I hear in taverns. Not that I spend time in taverns anymore."

Valka couldn't help but roll her eyes as Mala raised an eyebrow, neither approving of his joke but it was so very _Eret._ He was unashamed, taking a swallow of wine with his usual grin. She couldn't truly fault his behaviour - Eret had been incredible the last few weeks. Valka genuinely wasn't sure what she'd have done without him, on those days she couldn't even stand, tending to the dragons and checking on scouts, taking them for lunch flights and _still_ keeping on top of nursing Valka back to health.

"You will spend the night, yes?"

They both agreed; it was a long enough flight that overnight made sense, the dragons needed rest before they flew back anyway. Perched around the fire that night with a handful of Defenders, Mala and Throk, Valka allowed herself a minute to relax. Eret had brought along a barrel of wine they'd salvaged from a ship, and it was turning out to be a lot stronger than she'd anticipated. A few drinks in, she felt pleasantly warm and fuzzy inside, giggling to herself at the way Cloudjumper was simultaneously lazy with sagefruit and giving Tripfire a longing look.

"He has such a crush, bless his heart!"

Eret was not as tipsy and giggly as Valka felt yet, but he was working on a fresh glass of wine so he ought not to be far behind her. Valka looked at her mostly-empty cup, opting not to refill it lest she get truly _drunk._ Because the more inebriated she felt, the more Valka seemed to notice how firelight complimented Eret's features very well. And that was a dangerous thought to follow. They'd already pushed boundaries Valka hadn't expected them to - he'd had to help her bathe, carried her injured body, slept next to her when he worried she wouldn't wake. He'd held her on the saddle in a way that was _intensely_ intimate at one point, after Valka had forgotten how bad her balance was while her head healed.

So she ought not to be letting thoughts of how nice he looked right now grow. And wine seemed to feed them... Valka put her cup aside, moving away from Eret's warmth as she rose from the log they'd been sharing to sit on. A glass of water ought to help.

When she returned to her perch, Eret had finished his next cup and began... dancing was a strong word for his strange little movements to the instruments the Defenders had begun playing.

"Valka! Dance with me!"

"Absolutely not."

Eret ignored her, jumping up and grabbing hold of her with a drunken smile and laughing as she tried to wriggle free of him.

"Let me go you ridiculous man."

"Nope! Tripfire is too sleepy to dance, so you have to dance with me!"

Neither of them could actually _dance,_ Eret a little graceless with wine and Valka laughing so hard she couldn't catch her breath enough to wrestle Eret off her. She heard stifled giggles around them, watching Valka attempt to fend Eret off as he danced her around anyway. After nightfall or during celebrations were the only times the island was so relaxed, really - every adult was a well trained warrior, and Mala could be serious to the point of severe, iron-fisted. The children had more lee-way for behaviour, but they were still expected to adhere to a training schedule.

So the visiting dragon riders who got drunk and danced like idiots rather stood out, and Valka liked that the Defenders felt free to enjoy such a time even with outsiders. Though Mala had referred to Valka as an honourary Defender for her work protecting dragons...

Speaking of Mala, Eret spun her and Valka caught sight of the Queen herself watching the two of them. She wasn't laughing aloud, but there was a hand to her smiling mouth and a few twitches of the shoulder.

Eret finally let her go when the music stopped, still grinning like an idiot as he lowered his arms before heading over to check on Tripfire, who was still fast asleep with a half-eaten sagefruit next to her head.

Valka excused herself to go in search of the outhouse, navigating the small pathways between the wooden homes until she came across an outhouse at last. The cool evening air was pleasant to walk through, quieter as the sounds of the group around the fire struggled to reach through all the twists and turns.

"-hurt her, you _will_ answer to me."

Valka frowned. That was Mala's voice. Who was she threatening? The voice that answered surprised her too.

"There isn't anything-" Valka recognised the growl that interrupted Eret - she'd seen the Queen angry a few times and Eret changed tack immediately "yes ma'am."

She rounded the corner a few steps later, saw Eret between Mala and the wall of a hut but nobody else around.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all. Enjoy your evening Valka, I am retiring for the night."

"Oh. Goodnight Mala."

Eret watched the matriarch leave, swallowing thickly before he looked back to Valka with his usual smile.

"Everything alright Eret?"

"Yep. Fine. Coming back?"

She let him walk alongside her as they rejoined the campfire group, smiling when she saw Cloudjumper laid on his side to feel the warmth of the fire on his belly. Mala reappeared to bid her citizens a good night, then disappeared off toward her home leaving them to finish out the evening for themselves.

Eret was acting no differently, but Valka was still curious about what they'd been talking about. Had Mala been warning Eret off of _her?_ That was ridiculous, she reasoned. There was nothing going on between she and Eret that _needed_ warning about.

 _-_ HTTYD-

**Honestly, the Titanic-esque scene on Tripfire was an accident but when I mentioned it to someone their response said it definitely had to stay in.  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**Oblivious dorks are oblivious.**

**Also, RTTE Bewilderbeast canon is absolute nonsense and does not apply here. RTTE 'canon' as a whole is a hot mess, but I love the characters so I'm keeping them.**

-HTTYD-

There was something about Valka and baby dragons that Eret adored. She looked so _happy,_ like there was little more she could want in that moment. Except perhaps more baby dragons.

He'd never seen the dragon species before, but as it turned out that wasn't particularly unusual - based on what these women said, the Razorwhip dragons didn't venture far away. They didn't especially trust Eret much either, but he was getting used to that. And since Valka had vouched for him, there was no sharp-implement interrogation like the first time he'd met Mala's tribe.

And there were lots of baby dragons. That was a definite plus. Eret watched them amble around the nursery, bumping in to each other and tottering on legs a little too short for their long bodies just yet.

"Are they blind?"

"Yes. All Razorwhips are blind at birth. It is one of the reasons they stay with us."

Atali, the leader of the Wingmaidens, was quiet and polite and yet Eret was completely certain she'd tear him to pieces if he so much as appeared threatening to one of these small hatchlings. Instead, he got to sit and have them crawl all over him, chittering in that way only newborn dragons seemed to, sniffing at his hair and clothes and curling around his neck. Valka was also covered in baby Razorwhips, giggling as they perched on her head and roared little dragon laughs of joy. They still had a height perception while blind, he supposed. So they didn't walk _off_ anything, maybe.

Cloudjumper and Tripfire perched nearby, watching their humans with the babies and letting the Wingmaidens stroke them. Eret tickled a little tummy and the Razorwhip rolled on its back, little legs kicking in the air until he continued. Atali watched him with a confused expression, shaking her head.

"What are you doing?"

"Tripfire likes it. Seems this little one does too. Ow! Hey, you're too small to have teeth!"

The Razorwhip turned and nipped his hand, wiggling more until Eret resumed tickling it. Valka laughed at them, stroking the jaw of one with several more scales golden than silver. Finally falling asleep, Eret got his hand back from the nippy little one and managed to wriggle away before they woke and bit him again.

"Are you afraid of the baby?"

Valka teased, eyes sparkling with mirth as Eret eyed the napping one.

"No, I'm just fond of keeping all my fingers. I need them to pet Tripfire!"

She laughed, nodding.

"Fair enough."

After introductions that Eret felt were personality tests, much like the Defenders letting dragons pass judgement on him, they reluctantly left the nursery to talk about more serious topics. The Maidens were pleasant hostesses, providing a spread of food and a lovely herbal tea that slid smoothly down his throat as they settled to talk Drago.

"Do we know what to expect?"

"No, this all happened while I was unconscious and injured. Eret saw the Bewilderbeast, but I felt it prudent to warn any who live with dragons as we do that I may not always be the one at the side of the Alpha."

Atali listened intently, lifting a small piece of fish to the Razorwhip that perched on her shoulder without appearing to even think about it.

"You know we would fight by your side if needed Valka."

"I had hoped to avoid any fight at all, but the idea of Drago in control of the Alpha is too horrid to contemplate. I don't know what will happen though... Eret?"

Eret blinked, not expecting to be addressed.

"Uh. Ok. Well, he's pretty set on building an army of dragons. I wasn't aware of the Alpha thing specifically before I met you, Drago didn't talk much beyond demanding more dragons and, well, slightly less polite stuff when he didn't get enough. So I always assumed he was going to build up enough to go on a massacre, probably starting with your nest. Then on to everywhere else, because _who_ was ever gonna be able to stand up to that kind of firepower and brutality?"

The longer he spent with Valka, with Tripfire and the Alpha and the babies... the more Eret loathed his past, ever more determined to use what he knew against the bad guys, to bring down such an empire so dragons could live in peace. That fight had clearly gained a whole new level with the knowledge of the other Bewilderbeast.

"How many more of those Bewilderbeast can there be? How long do they even live? I'm trying to imagine the size of that _egg."_

Valka hummed, tapping her fingers against her seat.

"I _think_ I encountered another, though it was smaller and incredibly furtive, I saw very little of it. I do remember it was not the colouring you described of Drago's, and I've not seen any colour change in the time I have spent with the Alpha."

She sketched the Bewilderbeast, and Eret used the paints that Atali provided to colour the Bewilderbeast from memory, so that the Wingmaidens would know which one they were looking for on the off chance they encountered another one, or Drago sent his on a lone mission somewhere and encountered this little tribe.

"How does one even bend such a beast to their will?"

"You can break anything with enough time and dedication. I can only guess Drago found it before it was fully grown and worked out how to break their will? He was talking about breeding dragons to raise them under his rule, but I guess he doesn't have the patience."

Minden, one of Atali's commanders, leant forward with her fingers steepled under her chin.

"You know an awful lot about his work."

Eret sighed, lifting his hand and pulling down his tunic to expose the brand.

"I used to work for him" all but Atali gasped - Valka must have told _her_ "then I got dragon-napped, almost died from this brand... Valka dumped me back on an island, and I met Tripfire. And much to my _annoyance_ at the time, I picked dragons over people. But now I could never imagine going back there. I learned the truth, and I put what trapping taught me to new use. Tripfire here" he gestured to his proud dragon, who warbled happily and licked his face "is an absolute expert at tripping trapper traps."

Valka nodded, offered Eret a smile that made his heart flutter.

"Eret has been invaluable. I was wounded in the encounter with Drago and he cared for me and the dragons perfectly, and there are undoubtedly dragons that could not have been saved without he and Tripfire helping me."

Tripfire preened as Eret rubbed her side, smug about being praised before she leant down and nuzzled him happily. He smiled at her, content in the company of his dragon.

"There will also be dragons enslaved or even dead because of him."

"And he does not deny that, but when shown the truth he understood. Would it have been better that he returned to that way of life?"

Minden leant back, frowning.

"I suppose not. Still, it's impossible not to be wary of a trapper."

His chest twinged, and Eret simply turned to Tripfire instead of trying to defend himself - they weren't wrong, after all. He was undoubtedly responsible for the death and capture and pain of many dragons in all his years of trapping. The dragon noticed his tension, butting her head against his shoulder before dragging her tongue over his face again and perking up when Eret groaned, unable to help laughing slightly as he wiped away slobber again.

"Thanks Tripfire. Maybe we should leave these ladies to talk."

"No, Eret. You belong here."

He turned to Valka, surprised by her vehemence. He knew she'd brought him along, but he didn't really expect her to speak for him against those she'd known for so long.

"Valka-"

"Nadia, if Eret isn't welcome here then I won't stay either. He has risked his life more times than I can count in the last few months, all for me and the dragons. I trust him. Tripfire trusts him. Even _Mala_ trusts him to teach her warriors what he knows. I'd not even be here to tell you about this if he hadn't rescued me from Drago, and _he_ was the one to _see_ the Bewilderbeast."

It wasn't often Eret was lost for words, but even a sarcastic, playful quip was beyond him as he stared at Valka. Both Atali and Cloudjumper looked almost as surprised as Eret felt. He was happy to remove the strain by heading outside with Tripfire, but Valka was adamant he stay, that he was a part of this fight he'd been on the wrong side of less than a year before.

"I agree with Valka. He has proven himself trustworthy enough, though it does not erase his past actions we should not turn away valuable information, nor an ally with the integrity to admit that they were wrong."

Atali spoke, and her people listened. Valka gestured for Eret to sit back down, feeling incredible self-aware as he did so but nobody passed a judgemental comment for the rest of their conversation. Once they were done back-and-forthing for the moment, Eret was taken on a guided tour, he and Cloudjumper very much in need of supervision so they did not cross into territory where Razorwhips might kill them.

"Do male Razorwhips eat their own young? That seems impractical."

He asked Valka, looking around at the incredible greenery around them, the bridge beneath his feet feeling quite sturdy though Tripfire and Cloudjumper had to fly above mindfully, several bridges too narrow for their wide bodies.

"No, they eat the young of other males, which is not unheard of in quite a few species of dragons. Particularly Titan Wing dragons, they are very keen to ensure they breed the most and a female who has just lost her young will often be ready to breed again soon, regardless of season. _Eating_ them is uncommon, but killing another males young is not uncommon."

Eret glanced up at Tripfire, contemplating. He got the feeling she and Cloudjumper was a _when,_ rather than an _if,_ as she'd been visibly distressed by Cloudjumpers melancholy when Valka was sick, and would sometimes bring him fish and sit nearby, quietly offering comfort and company. But they hadn't encountered other Stormcutters so far, so he supposed if they had babies her hatchlings would be safe.

"Does this happen between different species?"

"Not often. Only if one is encroaching on anothers nesting site and they feel threatened. Even then it's very rare, if their young are able to travel they will prefer to relocate than fight. With the exception of a few, but those are often species who _already_ eat dragons, whether consistently or as a last resort."

He did a double take.

"There are species that have a diet of other dragons?"

"Yes. Not many, but there are... Slithersongs and Death Songs, which are two closely related species. Slitherwings have been known to, but they are also very poisonous and will kill and eat almost anything. Including humans. Scauldrons hunt Seashockers, but only if there is no other food source available and none that live with the Alpha. Changewings eat small dragons, like Terrors, but they'll equally happily eat rats or fish."

She spoke as they sat in an open spot, logs around a fire where Wingmaidens had been sat chatting, but were now listening to Valka elaborate. There was so much to learn.

"Drago used to threaten to feed some dragons to bigger ones, but I'm guessing that wasn't so much a dietary choice. Any others I should be worried look at me as delicious? I mean, I know I look delicious, but still."

Valka rolled her eyes, shaking her head but he caught her smiling.

" _Honestly,_ Eret... and largely, humans are not a food source they regularly hunt. Kill, perhaps, in self-defence, but you have seen how most will fight to stun or injure before they shoot to kill. And if they were especially hungry, I suppose they wouldn't say no... so I suppose you always carrying smoked salmon and jerky might save your life one day."

With that small smile on her mouth, Eret wasn't sure if she was trying to wind him up, but he liked the way her eyes were lit up by the fire when she was in a good mood too much to care. With the threat of Drago looming so heavily all of a sudden, her relaxed and easy state was less common, and Eret was happy to see it back again.

"So do these guys fly dragons? Mala's tribe don't."

"They do... but not in the way you expect."

"Oh?"

Almost as if on cue, a couple of the Maidens nearby stood, each making a different sound to the Razorwhip on their backs who assumed the same position, spreading their wings and lifting into the air - from the front, it simply looked as though the Wingmaidens had wings themselves. They flew as instinctively as Valka and Cloudjumper, exchanging little more than a few small sounds and somehow steering and moving perfectly in sync.

"Wow. That's pretty cool, and  _strong._ They're barely any bigger than Terrors."

"Indeed" Valka leant back, one hand behind her for support while the other lifted a wooden mug to her lips for a drink before she continued "as I told you, there are many ways to live with dragons, and each of our ways are different. But we all have a common goal."

Atali nodded sagely, watching her tribeswomen dip and dive through the air with a smile.

"Protecting them."

-HTTYD-

**Not a spoiler, but I am very excited about next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15

***cackles in author at the tension of readers***

-HTTYD-

"Man, this has taken me way too long to finish. Guess we've been busy eh girl?"

Tripfire rumbled in agreement, handing Eret another rock. He stuck it into place, held together with the mix of mud and ash and other bits that formed a solid enough structure to keep chickens in. Eret had started it a while ago, and never got to finishing it as rescue missions grew more frequent. They'd hit a lull though, a few nights in a row where no scouts returned with frantic news, and many of their sick or injured were rehabilitated enough to take care of themselves.

Eret straightened up, checking the wall was high enough that chickens wouldn't be escaping to meet an untimely end in the form of a hungry dragon. He needed more things, like a water bowl and food for them, but since he didn't yet have any chickens, Eret thought he was alright. Clambering over part of the wall that had already set, he took a few bits of wood and set up some nice cabin spots, in hope it would help keep them warm - their nest wasn't the warmest spot, after all. He'd pad them in well, and they'd be checked on regularly.

"Are you sure it's big enough?"

Valka quipped when she came to check on Eret, small sarcastic smirk definitely there on her mouth. Eret definitely didn't look at her mouth for too long.

"Hey, it's not like I can let them roam free without them getting eaten. So I made a big enough space that they have room to... do what chickens do. What _do_ chickens do? Should I get them toys?"

"No, Eret, they don't need toys. They _do_ need roosts though."

"Roosts?"

"They like to sleep higher up. I don't know why, but I remember that much. So" Valka grabbed some of the wood he had to hand and stepped into the coop with him "like this."

She laid them together so there was a beam raised several inches above the ground, then took Eret's hammer and nails and fixed it together herself. Eret watched, impressed.

"Wow. Thanks."

"You'll want to put something there to catch, chickens like to go quite often in their sleep."

"Delightful. Thank you secret chicken expert."

Valka rolled her eyes, already climbing out of the coop.

"Don't forget to build nesting boxes."

"I will!"

He stuck his tongue out. She saw him. Eret shrugged to himself and got back to work, glancing up to see Cloudjumper throwing Tripfire a wistful look before he followed Valka back out of Eret's coop room. It wasn't that far from where they slept, though the entrance to the room wasn't especially wide and so bigger dragons wouldn't squeeze in easily. That wouldn't stop little dragons, of course.

"I'm _literally_ building my life around dragons. When did that happen?"

"Rrrowww?"

Tripfire crooned, padding over and peering at Eret closely, concerned.

"Hey" he laid a hand on her chin, scratching lightly "I didn't say it was a bad thing. I just never had to build an enclosure before specifically to keep baby dragons out of my breakfast."

She perked up, nuzzled Eret and licked his face before she went back to sitting, watching and waiting to decide whether to be help or hindrance. She was a pain in the neck and Eret wouldn't change a thing about her. Tripfire really was already his best friend, somethin- no, _someone_ he hadn't known he was missing until he met her and she licked her way firmly into his life and his heart.

Done with everything he could do that day, Eret tidied up his tools and leftover material, then led Tripfire out for some much needed food and a bath. He found Valka painting, flowers Cloudjumper had brought her the day before at her side, some crushed up into soft colours she spread across the page with her fingers. It took shape as he prepared lunch, easily recognisable as he and Tripfire against a sunlit sky before long.

"Wow. That looks really good."

"Thank you. You two were fantastic last week, and I wanted to commemorate it."

Eret smiled, prodding meat and vegetables in their broth - they ate a lot of soups and stews, because raiding meant a lot of meat and vegetables scavenged off of ships. He'd tilled the soil that would grow vegetables themselves when the frost had passed, he and Tripfire having been graciously granted the chance to take a few sacks of ash from Caldera Cay's volcano last time they visited, as it made for good farming.

Valka was finished with most of the painting by the time Eret had finished making their food, adding little spots of colour with one hand while the other fed broth-soaked flatbread into her mouth. It was an impressive multi task, really. Especially without getting any food on her picture.

Dumping some fish in the baskets for their dragons so Tripfire would stop trying to steal his food, Eret reminded her they had yet to go lunch time flying anyway, but that didn't stop her from thinking that whatever Eret was eating must be simply delicious and also for her.

"There we go, all done."

She turned it to Eret, who had an inconviently full mouth and could only make muffled noises of compliment at that exact moment. Swallowing thickly, Eret nodded enthusiastically.

"That's amazing! Can I hang it up when it's dry? I want to see myself everywhere I look!"

Valka tsked at him, but conceded he could hang it when it had dried all the same. She'd captured the way his and Tripfire's colours matched, the shape of his helmet, even managed to add small lines where the leather of his saddle came together. Finishing her meal with more gusto, Valka was done not long after him, dropping her bowl and spoon in the bucket to be rinsed later before she stood and stroked a passing Windgnasher.

"Once lunch has settled I'll take you out too."

They stayed out for a while after the dragons were done fishing, flying peacefully - and Cloudjumper showing off a little, clearly trying to impress Tripfire. The air was sharp with chill, but they were all well adjusted to such a thing as they dipped and dived for a bit.

"Hey Valka?"

"Yes Eret?"

"We're gonna need to go do a trade run again soon. We're low on a few herbs we use to treat the dragons, and I also need supplies for the chicken coop. And chickens."

"Yes, I rather think you might. I want to be sure this quiet spell will last though. Next week?"

"Next week works. Not the trappers island again though."

"I agree. The Northern Markets should be good, I have flown there several times and traded well, there's a group of caves high up that Cloudjumper often rests in while I'm there. It's relatively peaceful, and usually busy this time of year. Good for blending in."

Eret nodded in agreement. He didn't think about how they'd blended in on the last couple of trade runs. Not at all.

* * *

Yawning into her hand as she picked up her armour, Valka stoked the fire enough to heat water while Eret packed up his saddle bag with tradeable goods. It was too early to eat anything, but she wanted tea before they took off through the early morning hours. Eret nodded to say he'd have some too, both downing it as soon as the steeped water wasn't hot enough to cause serious damage.

Cloudjumper grumbled.

"I know Cloudjumper, but it's the only safe time to go. We can't be seen just hovering over in broad daylight."

By comparison, Tripfire was raring to go. She liked new places. They took their helmets off as soon as they were on their way, letting the air wake them more than tea ever could and tasting the impending snowfall on the air. Valka hoped it would be gone by the night so they could fly home - Stormcutters could handle snow, but it wasn't ideal for long flights for dragon nor human and a heavy blizzard could make flying outright dangerous.

"Here, I made you something for Yule by the way."

Eret commented as he and Tripfire hovered upside down above she and Cloudjumper, dropping a small linen bundle into her surprised hands before they levelled out again. They'd really come along together, those two.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see!"

Valka did so, carefully unwrapping it to find...

"You made me gloves?"

"Yeah. I used your old diagrams from when you made your armour to get the size, but they should fit well enough to keep your hands warm on a flight like this even if they're a bit off. Happy Yule! Wait, do you celebrate Yule where you used to live?"

Eret never pushed for information, but he recognised Valka had to come from _somewhere,_ and it could be referenced in passing like that without Valka getting a painful stab of nostalgia.

"We celebrated Snoggletog."

He tried and failed not to laugh, hiding his mouth behind his forearm until he'd schooled himself into an almost-neutral expression.

"Snoggle-what?"

"Snoggletog. Nobody remembers why we picked such a ludicrous name, but that's the holiday for this time of year."

Valka slipped the gloves over her hands, a little bulky at the wrist where Eret had used fur to line them, but considering her armour it wasn't very cumbersome. And she had enough dexterity to still grip her staff - and her hands were no longer cold, which was the best part as the linen covered exposed skin. Valka was only really functionally skilled with sewing, well enough to make or mend clothing and tend wounds, but anything other than mittens for her hands was beyond her skill set. And mittens wouldn't do for flying. She always meant to practice, but never got to it. Eret had beaten her there, apparently.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Did the colours come out alright?"

He'd covered them as he had his own, with paint made from Cloudjumper's shed scales in streaks of dawn orange and sky blue.

"Beautifully."

Eret beamed.

"Awesome."

From where they landed on the island was a good couple of hours trek into the main heart of trading, and the same again to get back.

"Alright you two. If we don't come back tonight, don't worry. Unless you see the island burning down. Then maybe worry a little. But we might have to stay down there for the night if it starts to snow real heavy. You two stay here, alright? Unless a hunter turns up. Then you can leave and come back for us later. Is that everything?"

Eret glanced to Valka, questioning if he'd missed anything.

"No, that should do it. Be good you two. There's enough fish to get you through today, you know where the water is Cloudjumper. We'll be back sooner than tomorrow, I hope."

Pulling the full bag over himself after giving the dragons their fish, Eret gave Tripfire a good nuzzling before waiting for Valka to be done bidding goodbye to Cloudjumper for the moment. She had the empty bag he'd brought, and already told him if he bought chickens that he was responsible for carrying them back. The traders usually gave good buyers a carrier, at least.

By the time they reached the end of the walk, the sun was fully risen though it couldn't quite chase away the frosty chill. Valka was thankful she'd brought a heavy tunic and warm leggings to match her simple skirt. The ring on her finger sat heavier than usual, a glance to the sky as Valka wondered how Hiccup was spending Snoggletog. The island was abuzz here, full of sailors out to do their final trade run before the oceans froze too much to sail through, and the fields too icy to tend.

Their supplies of preserved meats was as good as gold to some of the traders, especially the herb grower looking to offload so they didn't have to work so hard to store so much. By the time Eret had bartered with the livestock trader, the snow had started to fall heavily and there was little chance of ignoring the dangers of flying home that night - several sailors had already headed for their ships to sail before the water froze, others buying extra furs and skins to warm themselves with. The trader politely agreed to let Eret get them when they were leaving, whenever that may be.

Valka appreciated her gloves all over again. At least with them on, Eret wasn't trying to hold her hand, though when asked they did off-handedly 'confirm' husband and wife. It was easier that way, rather than have people gossip they must be adulterers and draw attention to themselves.

It only became a problem when they had to find somewhere to sleep for the night. Going back to the cave with the dragons was an option, but the two hour trek in the snow _just_ to come back the next morning for Eret's chickens felt counter productive and a lot of energy expended. As Valka stood awkwardly contemplating their sleeping situation for that evening, she decided Eret was definitely getting nursery dung duty when they got back - it was his bloody chickens that brought them out in the first place. The herb run alone _could_ have been done on a small island closer by, but nooooo. Eret's desire for eggs had her posing as his wife as they rented a tavern room for the night.

"Don't worry" Eret murmured as they sat with drinks and dinner at a table, his words almost lost in the sounds of solitary men and increasing mead consumption "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Hey, inkface!"

Eret blinked in surprise, looking over to the - clearly inebriated - total stranger who'd called out toward him.

"Yeah?"

"Ain't ya got a kiss for the wife? If you won't, I'll honour Frigga for ya!"

Raising an eyebrow, Eret turned to Valka only to see her glance up to where mistletoe hung openly above them, all but demanding it.

"Care to elaborate?"

"It's a tradition to kiss under the mistletoe for Frigga."

"Oh. Well, it looks as though it's me or him. Obviously, he's a looker" Valka gave Eret an exasperated look "but at least you know when I last cleaned my teeth."

Her heart thrummed in her chest - Valka did not want to disrespect the goddess any more than she wanted to have that stranger all over her, but the thought of kissing Eret was having a terribly strange effect on her.

"Just... get it over with before he comes over."

"So romantic. Close your eyes, try to look like we've done this before."

She didn't want to, it felt too intimate but Valka closed her eyes anyway, felt Eret's broad hand cup her jaw before warm lips pressed to hers, the taste of berries from the warm pudding he'd eaten still sweet on his mouth as her stomach did some kind of backflip. She responded on instinct more than conscious thought, his mouth gentle but insistent against hers for longer than was really necessary, but neither thought to stop for a while until there was a sharp whistle in the background.

Valka pulled back first, ignoring the tingle in her lips as men laughed and told the stranger to sit down - clearly, Valka was fine for mistletoe kisses to their mind.

Her stomach would not stop fluttering, the warmth of his hand on her cheek still lingering as Valka hastily downed her drink, hoping to take the taste of Eret off her mouth. It did very little for her, so Valka immediately ordered another. Her alcohol tolerance was not spectacular - she only had the occasional drink for certain festivities, or a few with Atali or Mala's tribes. Sometimes a little with Eret if they'd raided some.

But the ale in the tavern was stronger than she was used to, and Valka only realised that after her third, when everything further away than the next table was starting to wobble more than she expected the room should.

Eret wouldn't let her have more alcohol, which Valka decided was incredibly rude of him, since she was only drinking to erase the feel of him kissing her and it hadn't worked yet.

"I need some air."

Valka got up from the table before Eret could stop her, crossing the room to the door and encountering only one idiot who tried to get her under another sprig of mistletoe. She shoved him hard enough that he stumbled, much to the amusement of his friends. There was almost nobody outside as Valka dragged in lungfuls of cold, cleansing night air, eyes drawn in the direction of the caves she knew their dragons were at. If they'd gone there, there never would have been a kiss. And if there were no kiss, Valka wouldn't have had any minor crisis out in the snow, grateful her boots were leather rather than linen tonight. Not especially warm, but at least water-resistant enough to keep her feet dry.

Valka felt marginally more sober when she finally felt ready to face Eret again, the flutters in her belly dying down at last as she pulled open the door and barely got three steps in before being accosted by the same man as before.

"C'mon! It's for Frigga!"

"Should I say no louder, or slower?"

"Or should I remind you to back off my wife?"

She didn't need rescuing, but Eret's bulk and height seemed to cow the man who was attempting to force Valka into kissing him. With a glance up, Eret didn't hesitate that time and placed a hand on her back, pulled Valka in and kissed her rather more surely than before. _He_ was the one to pull away that time, leaving Valka a little dizzy as he tipped his head toward their table.

"Should we grab our stuff and head to bed before you get in any more trouble?"

Valka nodded, if only so he'd _stop touching her._ She felt his hand at her back as a solid weight, holding her to him until he finally moved. Feeling more like she could breathe again, she grabbed her things and followed Eret up the stairs to the rooms of the tavern, finding the door that matched the number on their key.

Yet she saw very little of the room before the door had even closed, felt the impact of Eret against her as he kissed her for no audience that time. There was no hesitation from her before she responded, breathless with the heat of his skin under her hands, the idiot still going sleeveless in a snowstorm.

The bed creaked under her, but the fur and blankets were thick enough to stop her bruising from the sudden landing. He pressed in again, his hands snug to her waist and a soft groan echoing in the back of his throat. There was time for her to stop him, when Eret pulled back to take a breath but instead she dragged him in again, head spinning and heart pounding as Valka finally remembered how to give as good as she got. Months of stolen glances and hastily-denied thoughts had broken free and taken over, leaving Valka intoxicated on _him,_ on the way his tongue tasted her mouth and the way his hands squeezed at her hips.

It was a monumentally bad decision she'd surely live to regret in the morning, but that wasn't what stopped Valka as Eret's hand slid under her skirt, hiking the material up until his fingers brushed the bare skin of her stomach above her leggings, sending shivers through her as she let out pathetically needy sounds. Eret's mouth left hers and she missed it immediately, even as she trembled pleasantly for the feel of his lips at her neck.

What finally drew them to a screeching, awful halt was what caught Valka's eye as her hands moved with the intent of pulling at his top, itching to feel more skin until she saw...

_the wedding ring._

Valka felt like she'd been doused in ice, stomach roiling in a completely unpleasant way as she shoved Eret with all her strength, body shaking with guilt over desire. He grunted in surprise, but moved to look at her, his eyes hazy with want even in the limited light from the window.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I'm married."

-HTTYD-

**Dun dun dunnnnnnn**


	16. Chapter 16

**I won't lie, I was giggling so much over responses to last chapter.**

-HTTYD-

"You... what?"

Eret wasn't sure he was hearing right, head still fuzzy with lust, the feel of Valka's body pressed so tightly to his seeming branded to his skin even though he'd pulled away.

"I'm married. I have a husband. I have a- I can't do _this._ "

He'd been living in the nest with Valka for months now. Not _once_ had she ever even hinted she was married. Unsure what he was really meant to say, Eret sighed and reached past Valka. She watched him, confused and for a second, Eret could have sworn she looked _afraid_ of him. He realised then that he had no idea what sort of marriage or culture she'd come from, and that Eret could seem like a serious threat in that moment.

"I'd never force anyone. You're safe."

He grabbed the second head cushion from next to her, then climbed off the bed and laid on the floor, wriggling his boots off and tucking them out of the way. Valka seemed to barely even be breathing, and he'd bet gold she was staring at where he had his back to her - Eret's body had not yet caught up with the 'stop', and so he'd turned away to avoid feeling Valka's eyes on him.

Eret knew they probably should have talked, but rejection stung and he didn't want to say things he regretted in the morning while still a little drunk. He felt more than a little stupid for thinking Valka might feel the same way he did. Sure, she'd kissed him back for a minute, but it was more likely she was just lonely and wanted a warm body... or she was drunk. Eret had seen her put a few ales back downstairs.

She moved very little for several minutes, then he heard the dull thuds of Valka taking off her own boots, creaks of wood as she got settled on the bed.

Then he felt a blanket laid over him. Valka didn't say a word, and Eret didn't dare ask. He doubted either of them slept much that night, and he was up when he heard the first sounds of life outside before the sun had even risen. Valka was awake when he got back from the bathroom, and she wouldn't really look at him. He wanted to say something, to take that unsurety out of her face but what was he to say? Kissing her downstairs had been cover.

Everything that happened upstairs was entirely intentional, and Eret feared his stupid drunk self had done irreparable damage to the friendship that had ultimately saved his life and given him real purpose.

Also, Eret was pretty sure Mala was going to gut him if she ever found out. She'd been _very_ clear Eret was not to hurt Valka, even when he tried to insist there was nothing going on. Even then, he'd felt like a liar, and felt certain Mala knew he was lying. But now he _knew_ that nothing could happen.

The tavern was pretty deserted when they went down, Eret returning the room key and feigning agreement that he'd enjoyed his night at the innkeepers insinuations. Valka had barely waited for him, and she was silent nearby when Eret went to pick up his chickens. They clucked in their carrier, mocking Eret for this whole damned trip and the impossible awkwardness he'd caused as they got ready to trek back to the dragon cave. The sooner they left, the better. Eret needed a good fly. Flying helped him sort his head out the rest of the time, after all.

His hand ached from the heavy handle of the chicken carrier, but Eret wasn't about to complain when Valka had agreed to this trip for him to begin with. At least his gloves helped, he supposed.

Valka wasn't wearing the gloves he'd made her. Eret hoped she wasn't suffering cold hands just because he was an idiot. They made the whole trek in silence, and there was palpable relief when they saw the spot they'd left their dragons to sleep in. They both stopped when they entered the cave, and found a surprising sight. Before they could even think of something to say, the squawking of chickens stirred the dragons, and Tripfire looked distinctly 'caught' when she realised they had seen her sleeping snugly next to Cloudjumper - there was enough space that sleeping face to face only inches apart was completely unnecessary.

She dropped down to the ground, snuffling at Eret with a confused look in her eyes. He patted her jaw, smiling, soothed by being back with her.

"Hey girl. Any trouble while we were gone?"

Tripfire shook her head, licked him happily before ducking down to investigate the chicken carrier.

"No, you can't eat them. C'mere, I need to load up your saddle so we can get ready to go."

Eret put her saddle back on, began loading the saddlebags up before he pulled on his armour. Valka had already finished putting hers back on, perched on Cloudjumpers back and resolutely not looking in their direction. Sighing to himself as he put his helmet on, Eret climbed up into his saddle and patted Tripfire to say she could go. At least the blizzard had let up, though he'd want dry boots when they got back to the nest.

They kept their helmets on the whole flight back, no above-cloud chats or even any real interaction; Cloudjumper knew the route back, and Tripfire followed him, so Eret only really had to make sure his chickens didn't freeze to death on the way back. At least he'd bought a new pelt - not many markets carried reindeer so far south, so he'd been unable to resist when he saw a little piece of his homeland there. So he slung that around the carrier, hoped it would do the trick.

The landing was as silent as the trip had been, and Eret could feel Tripfire's eyes on him as he took off his helmet and walked in a few steps, knew she could tell there was something different. Valka spoke for the first time all day, and it was only to tell him she was heading to check on the sick bay. Wincing, Eret made a snap choice and sent Tripfire with his stuff to the room Valka had used when he first came to the nest. He moved the rest of his stuff out in one go, left Valka's room entirely her own again and ignored the niggling itch that he was too much a coward to just _talk_ to her about it.

* * *

She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but it wasn't... _that._ Valka stared at the spot where Eret's little bedpile had resided, now empty save for a few stray dragon scales on the ground. Cloudjumper was sat nearby, head cocked in curiousity. She'd not told him about the whole incident yet - there hadn't been time really.

Of course, she hadn't actually spoken to Eret either. The last words he'd said to her were that he wouldn't force her, that she was _safe_. Valka hadn't realised he could see her fear then, that knot of uncertainty borne of the knowledge some men did not take no for an answer. But he had. He hadn't even tried to force information from her - he'd taken her words as truth, and just moved to sleep on the floor. Valka felt guilty, but couldn't find the words to say it, so she gave him a blanket instead.

Now... now she was left with a burning question as _Eret_ put a space between them. Had he always been planning... _that?_ It seemed unlikely; for a while Valka hadn't even been sure Eret liked her all that much, but he'd needed somewhere safe for Tripfire. And if he'd been the type to force her, there had been ample other opportunities. He knew how to incapacitate a dragon, and he slept in her room. Well, he _had._ It seemed he'd changed his mind there.

Was it as simple for him as it was for her? That they'd spent time together, bonding over dragons and those other feelings had just developed without her really noticing? When she told Mala there was nothing going on, she'd meant it completely truthfully. Valka had no intentions of starting anything with Eret.

Just because she was an absent wife, did not mean she could renounce her vows to the gods that she would be _faithful_ to her husband. So long as they were both alive, Valka was still bound to him.

She went looking for Eret, with no idea what she wanted to say but it felt churlish to not _try,_ to not go and say _something._ An apology for not stopping him immediately, perhaps. Cloudjumper followed Tripfire's scent to the old bedroom, the one Valka had used back when Eret first arrived, to keep him away from the heart of the mountain. It was far enough to feel very deliberate, and Eret had already moved his things in, covered the bed with his new reindeer blanket and stacked boxes to one side. There was fresh firewood waiting in the firepit.

But no Eret.

Then she remembered what they'd gone for to begin with, and climbed up to where Eret had built his coop. Sure enough, she heard his voice, talking to Tripfire as he set up his coop. Valka stilled, undoubtedly guilty of eavesdropping but curious all the same.

"It's alright, you know. I figured you liked him anyway."

Tripfire grumbled, but Valka found herself smiling for a brief few beats - despite everything, he was worried for Tripfire, encouraging her not to deny it if she was interested in Cloudjumper. There was never really a question of whether or not Cloudjumper was interested in _her._ He'd been smitten from day one, really.

The distraction got her caught. Eret exited the cave door, presumably to grab the bag of chicken feed he'd left out there. And he almost walked right into Valka in the process.

"Whoa! Didn't expect that. What... what are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you."

"Wh- oh. Right. I uh. I thought it was getting a bit cramped, that's all."

"Oh. Well, I never meant to make you feel as though you couldn't have your space."

Eret blinked, but he didn't seem to have an answer and went back to feeding his chickens. Given that she'd been the one to push him away, Valka knew she had no right to feel slighted by his behaviour.

That didn't stop her from feeling it.

"Don't look at me like that."

It took her mind a second to realise he was talking to Tripfire, who warbled back in response. Feeling wrong-footed, Valka left before Eret caught her hovering outside again, walking back to her room - _her room_ \- and sitting on her bed. She'd let Eret get too close, and it seemed she was going to have to pay for that by letting him pull away now. Cloudjumper nuzzled Valka, trying to comfort her, and she appreciated it immensely.

Eret still turned up to make food in the main room - Valka supposed it was probably because the cooking stuff was technically _hers,_ and Eret wasn't going to steal it. It was all silent though, the only time he even really looked at her was when he put her food down on Valka's side of the table. It was a new addition, after Eret got tired of dragons kicking over bowls and cups as they strolled through. They ate in equal silence, and Eret and Tripfire left as soon as he was done cleaning his bowl.

It only took a few days for Valka to realise how terribly she missed Eret. Oh, he was still there, physically. But with his silent avoidance, Valka felt like they were right back where they started. Eret avoiding the mad dragon lady, interested only in how soon he could leave. Gone was the comfortable, easy presence of him, his usual swagger and terrible jokes seemingly vanished.

When Valka laid in her bed, acutely aware of how used to the sound of his breathing as he fell asleep she was, she looked up to where the Stormcutters slept. Tripfire had tried to stay with Eret, but he'd insisted she sleep with Cloudjumper if she wanted to, and he'd talked her round eventually.

If not for them happening upon the signs of interested mates that meant Tripfire was unlikely to leave, Valka couldn't help but think Eret may well have decided to leave altogether.

No, that was ridiculous. Eret was as invested in saving the dragons as could be. He could do that better from the nest where the Alpha lived. Groaning, Valka turned over, refusing to stare at the spot he'd inhabited. She'd been the one to let him get too close; Valka was going to have to deal with the aftermath now he was choosing to pull away.

-HTTYD-

**Honestly, couldn't you just knock these two idiots heads together?**


	17. Chapter 17

**Guest - you have exactly zero idea whether or not the fic will or will not address the Hiccup and Stoick thing... but I like that you read all the chapters first, just to be sure you didn't like it. If you think the fic is garbage, awesome, piss off and don't read it. It's _fictional._ Nobody is actually getting hurt or abandoned cus _they aren't real._**

-HTTYD-

Eret stared up at the ceiling, somewhat comforted by the homely feel of a reindeers pelt as he ran his fingers over it, but still hyperaware of his alone-ness in the room. He'd grown used to being able to look out to the heart of the mountains depths, to see the Bewilderbeast slumber below them. He'd grown used to dragons sleeping all around them, to peering up and seeing Tripfire's colourful scales and to looking around to see Valka lost peacefully in dreams.

In his newly acquired room, he was quite alone. He'd been the one to move, and the one to insist Tripfire continue sleeping near Cloudjumper if it would make her happy - which she had, now - and so his loneliness was his own fault entirely, really.

But it was certainly preferable, he thought, to watching that great chasm of distance between he and Valka grow ever larger with the awkwardness around each other. He should _talk_ to her, he knew, but Eret wasn't really sure what he was meant to say. And Valka didn't initiate the conversation either, so Eret figured they needed time before they could be around each other again and it not be _so damned awkward._

It was all his fault things were awkward though. Maybe he _should_ be the one to break the silence... once he knew what to say.

The fire was almost burned out, just enough left in it for him to catch sight of the painting he had hung on the wall - the one Valka had done of he and Tripfire, only days before but it seemed like much longer.

Their days seemed longer now too; Eret still made meals, Valka still ate them, but there wasn't much conversation and so their time was back to empty silence save for dragons. Eret spent most of his time in the nursery now - the first lots of Yuletide hatchlings were up and about, and Eret had great fun spending time watching them learn to walk as he learned what sort of diet each baby was in need of. Valka could probably have told him... but they'd have to _talk_ for that to work.

Eret was still struggling to be around her sometimes, phantom warmth on his skin and hazy, pleasant memories of the way she'd kissed him haunting him. He'd get past that, he knew, but the strain on living with her was evident, and Valka made sure to keep a certain amount of distance between them at all times. Eret hoped she wasn't worried he'd push her, _force_ her. That wasn't how he was raised, and he'd never understand men that thought that way. Sex was _infinitely_ better with a willing partner who enjoyed themselves, and Eret had thrown men off of his ships for bragging they'd hurt a woman.

Sailing with his cousins had been easier; they'd been raised as he had, with respect for all. Except dragons, unfortunately.

Eret missed them still, though he knew he could never go back to trapping. A couple of baby Nadders tugged a fish between them, their mother pulling it away and both falling onto their rumps before jumping up, indignant and hungry. The fish was torn in two and tossed back, which pleased the babies no end.

Tripfire began to shuffle in annoyance - she was not quite as enamoured with baby dragons as he was, and given that she'd gone and fetched her saddle while Eret wasn't looking, he got the feeling she wanted to go flying. Carefully removing a sleeping baby Scuttleclaw from his lap, Eret stood and stretched the stiffness from his legs before heading over to his now-much-happier Stormcutter friend.

"Alright girl, we can go flying."

He strapped the saddle on and hopped up on her back, Tripfire immediately heading upwards to one of the gaps in the rock that led straight to outside rather than navigate the tunnels more slowly. The fresh air hit him wonderfully, blowing away stress and anxiety as they climbed the sky until there was nothing around them but clouds and the odd passing dragon.

"Thanks Tripfire, I needed this."

She gave a happy spin, then took off at high speed, darting through clouds and diving so sharply Eret was almost unseated for a second before she rose again, levelling out with a gleeful roar. Clearly _someone_ needed to get some energy out of their system.

"Six months ago I'd have lost my breakfast to a stunt like that!"

Tripfire laughed, continuing on with her twirls and dips, exuberant mood clear in the way they flew and her joy completely infectious. Eret grinned as she went, glad he was much better adjusted to aerial acrobatics and his saddle tweaked to essentially perfection, the handles of his saddle just right to hold on to as Tripfire barrel-rolled.

"Have I been neglecting you, or are you just really excited about Cloudjumper?"

 _Something_ had her bouncing with energy, and it was either cabin fever or Cloudjumper-fever in Eret's mind. They'd been flying enough, he supposed, but not _as much_ as before the... incident, because they hadn't been flying with Valka and Cloudjumper. Well, Tripfire might have flown with Cloudjumper. Eret wasn't sure.

They went pretty far out, pushing the limits of safe to venture when Eret was unarmed and not wearing his armour - there was a distance at which they began to worry about bumping into ships. Nudging Tripfire to slow down, Eret pointed that out to her and his dragon nodded, spinning around and beginning a similarly energetic trip back toward their home. His back and thighs were a little stiff from the long trip when they got back, but it was nothing a hot bath and a rest wouldn't fix.

Tripfire spotted Cloudjumper before Eret spotted Valka, and when the male Stormcutter approached Tripfire let him, even gave him a soft warble of greeting. The mating season of most dragons was over, nesting and hatching their main concern now. Eret chuckled to himself at the idea Tripfire had intentionally kept Cloudjumper at arm- ah, wings length until the season was over, as though ensuring she would not be one of those raising a small nest of dragons herself that year. Somehow, it seemed exactly the sort of thing she would do.

As his eyes slid down from the dragons, Eret found wide green eyes watching he and the Stormcutters. Valka looked away after a minute, and Eret did too, throwing a smile at the dragons before he headed to his room for bathing supplies.

Part of him was niggling with a fear... if their dragons weren't bonding, would Valka have asked him to leave?

* * *

"Eret!"

He practically leapt out of his skin, staring at Valka in surprise. She ignored that he was probably rightly surprised, that she hadn't really addressed him directly in over a week.

"W-what is it?"

"Get your things, we're needed."

That was all it took to get him moving, and Valka left him to assemble his armour and fit Tripfire with her saddle while she took one last look over the injured bay, then rallied up some dragons for just in case they needed the backup.

Tripfire appeared, a saddled and armoured Eret on her back, dragon visibly raring to go as Cloudjumper peered around at Valka, asking if they were leaving. Valka nodded, grabbing her staff and hopping up on Cloudjumper's back, pulling her helmet on just in time for them to take off. Eret hadn't even asked where or what. He just prepared, proving to her again that his desire to protect dragons came before whatever it was going on between the humans.

Silent flights were uncomfortable now, so used to talking to him as they went, seeing that still-novel love for the air he had as a fairly new flier. But they weren't flying for fun; there were dragons to save.

They entered into a firefight, a couple of particularly defiant wild dragons attempting to free the caged and neither side was quite winning at that moment, though Valka knew the wild dragons would tire or run out of shots before too long.

" _Dragon riders!_ "

The cry went out as they were spotted, and it took no time at all for multiple projectiles to start flying their way. Eret and Tripfire peeled off to the right, drawing much of their fire and leaving Cloudjumper to swoop in and set fire to the ship, scattering those aboard. They couldn't get to the cages right away, but at least dragons were pretty fire-proof.

It was their first real mission since... _that,_ the Snoggletog and mistletoe debacle. And Valka realised early on that they ought to have dealt with it already. They couldn't work together efficiently if they couldn't even talk to each other, and it _showed._

They were clumsy at best compared to what had been a rather more streamlined pair, neither quite sure where the other would be. Valka sighed as they lost time to fighting off the trappers, though Eret managed to down two of them before getting to the cages at last. Valka slammed her staff around the back of ones head, satisfied when he crumpled to the floor with a loud _thud!_ as two adolescent Snaptrappers soared overhead, Eret already on to opening another cage while Tripfire ensured he wasn't interrupted.

About to go, Valka heard the yell of a stuck dragon, saw chains around the leg of a barely-adult Thunderclaw. She ducked down, looking for the locking mechanism to free them from the weighty metal. The chain came loose at last, Valka yanking it away. The Thunderclaw spread its wings, forcing her to duck lower to avoid her helmet being knocked off - it was lucky, really, as a full-sized human went flying just above her head, an inch from knocking her over completely. Cloudjumper roared as the Thunderclaw took flight, letting her know they were done.

Back in the air, boats merrily burning away below, they began the task of leading the rescues who chose to follow them back. Some had flown for freedom of their own accord, but the Snaptrappers Eret sprung were close behind him, all eight heads of the two dragons keenly observing him sat on Tripfire's back. Eret looked around, checking they weren't being followed, then raised his hands and removed his helmet.

Valka hesitated, but eventually copied him.

"Look... I should have said this before. I'm sorry about the tavern thing. I was drunk and... it was stupid, I didn't mean to..." Eret kept trailing off, sighing and stopping to think "it can't interfere with us saving the dragons. They deserve better than that. I won't try anything like that again, I swear."

Valka ignored a pulse of disappointment, that ridiculous part of her mind that wished he _would,_ and gave him a tight nod. He was right. They couldn't put the dragons at risk again, not because of too much mead and mistletoe and human loneliness.

"Alright."

His face cleared.

"Alright? So... are we good?"

Valka nodded.

"We're good."

Eret smiled, looking as though a weight had been lifted. Valka cursed her pounding heart, wished her stomach wouldn't flutter so readily at the sight. She put her helmet on before Eret wondered if the redness warming her cheeks was from wind-chill or him, and he did the same as they flew on.

Things weren't like they were before.

Valka wondered if they were both haunted by that night, by those brief seconds where bodies overrode minds, when losing themselves in each other had been so close she could feel it in her bones.

But they were _better_ again. Eret cracked terrible jokes. He didn't avoid her for every minute between meals. They worked the sick and injured together again, and the dragons benefited for it.

And he smiled at her again.

-HTTYD-

**So, after next chapter... I'm probably gonna up the rating. Not saying that anything will happen immediately after, but I'm offering advance warning that something _will_ happen, of the sexy variety. I really did set out with intent to keep it t-rated, but I've had their first time written out since like chapter seven...  
**

**If there's folx who wanna keep reading but avert ye innocent eyes from grown up time, let me know and I'll content warn for sexy times in chapters.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Well, I sat down and laughed when I realised this story is pushing 20 chapters, and we're still like... 2 years pre-HTTYD2, and this story has plans to go right up to HTTYD3... so strap in for the long haul folks.**

-HTTYD-

"Here you go guys, eat up and don't peck me this time!"

Eret laughed as his chickens flocked to their feed, reaching down while they were distracted to grab the eggs laid. He'd learned from mistakes that included several sharp beaks to distract them first - apparently he'd picked up some very feisty hens. Tripfire laughed as he left the coop room, bumping his shoulder gently to nuzzle him affectionately before they walked back down to where Eret could get on cooking the eggs.

He looked around, confused, when he saw Valka was nowhere to be seen. It was her room he cooked in, after all. He placed the eggs down and headed toward the bathroom, but heard no sounds of movement from there either.

"Hey Tripfire, can I trust you to watch and not eat these? I need to find Valka."

His dragon gave a petulant grumble, but nodded and perched herself in front of the egg basket. Eret was about half sure he'd come back to find she'd eaten them anyway, but at least there were other options for eating if she did. Hopefully not though - there was only so much sturgeon and yak jerky Eret could eat for breakfast before he got bored. And given everything they'd gone through to get those chickens a couple of months back, those eggs were _earned_ in emotional distress as far as Eret was concerned. And blood, if he counted the pecking injuries.

Eret checked the sick bay first, found no Valka and no signs she'd been there. He refilled the water trays, changed a couple of bandages and stroked to soothe an anxious Scuttleclaw with a broken wing.

"I know buddy. But I promise we're good at this. You'll be flying again in no time, now get some rest ok?"

He asked a couple of passing dragons if they'd seen her, or Cloudjumper, and most had no answer but a sleepy old Gronckle nudged Eret to get his attention, then gestured with a wing up toward one of the higher coves that opened out, where they sat sometimes for meals when the weather was calm enough.

"Thanks."

Eret had to loop around to climb up, but he heard Valka before he saw her as he scaled the rocky incline with practiced steps.

She was _crying._

He heaved himself up another layer of ice-covered stone, mindful not to slip, saw Cloudjumper sat next to her as a sort of windbreak. She had writing things in hand, and there were tears still rolling down flushed cheeks that said she'd been crying a little while at least. He hadn't seen her that morning yet - he still slept in his own room, got cleaned up and ready for the day before heading up to get eggs.

"Valka?"

She coughed in surprise, Cloudjumper turning to glare at Eret and giving him the distinct feeling he was intruding on something very private, personal.

"Oh, Eret! I..."

Ignoring the grumpy dragon, Eret climbed the last steps and clambered along the ledge, dropping to one knee in front of her and seeing runes spelled out along the pages she held.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Even she didn't seem to expect that to convince him, wiping her face on her tunic and sniffling before she managed to look up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"Right. That's why I had to come find you out here, crying, when I was only looking for you so I could make breakfast."

She shrugged, putting the pages down and weighting them with a heavy rock.

"It's just... something I do at this time of year."

"Why? What's so special about it?"

The Vikings fertility celebration wasn't for almost another month, and the spring celebration had passed a month earlier. Nor was Valka especially observant that he noticed, so Eret was doubly confused.

"It's..." her breath stuttered, followed by a deep sigh "it's my sons birthday."

Eret was stunned silent for a minute.

She had a _son?_

He supposed it was possible; she'd mentioned being married, a child wasn't out of the realms of likelihood. But...

"I... wow. I don't know what to say."

"I'm a terrible mother, and what am I doing out here when I have a husband and child at home?"

"Never even crossed my mind. I was more surprised you hadn't mentioned it when you told me you were married."

They hadn't spoken of that night in weeks, and she flinched slightly at the mention. He shuffled over, ignoring Cloudjumper growling until he was sat nearer Valka, though he gave her her space still and was careful not to knock her letters. They seemed important.

Valka sighed deeply again, head rolling back as she leant into the rock wall behind her, occasional tear still escaping her eyes.

"It's not something I'm exactly proud of. It was a complicated time, a complicated marriage, and... a horrible choice I had to make."

Eret sat to get comfortable, sensing there was more to come.

"The dragons or your family?"

Valka nodded, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"I didn't run away intentionally... but I suppose I also never tried to go back."

"So... what happened?"

She hugged her knees to her chest, looking smaller than he'd ever seen her.

"I lived on an island called Berk. It was... they called it kill or be killed. But I always believed peace was possible. Our island was raided by dragons, constantly. Sometimes several nights in a row. They only took food, and they only attacked in self defence. It wasn't as simple as _just_ not fighting, I know, or we'd have starved to death, but... I tried to stop the fighting, and I begged them to find another answer. Nobody ever listened. And my husband? Well, he was the Chief of Berk. Needless to say, his wife interfering with the raids on the 'wrong side' never really went over all that well, with him or the village as a whole."

He couldn't believe she kept this in all the time they'd spent together, but Eret didn't dare interrupt her now.

"He never tried to force me to fight. I think he knew that was a losing battle from the start. But there were many nights we argued about me preventing others fighting, no matter how I said it would only make things worse. Our island valued the strongest, the ones who killed the most dragons. When... when my son was born, early and wee and frail, I was already lost. How could I ever raise a man who would be like his father? How could I raise a future dragon killing _chief_ when I didn't believe as they did?"

She stopped to cry again, weak little sobs and Eret moved, careful not to knock her papers, wrapped a hesitant arm around her shoulders and Valka turned to hug him with a strength her thin frame belied completely. He let her cry for a while, saw the pain in Cloudjumper's face at his human so sad.

"One night... I was outside my home, fretting through the raids and trying to mitigate the damage. Then when I turned, there was a dragon breaking into my home. _This_ dragon, in particular" Valka nodded to Cloudjumper, who cooed in return "and I rushed to protect my son. He was only a babe, barely a half year into his life. I grabbed a weapon I barely even knew how to use, and then I saw the truth I'd always known in my heart. He was no beast. He was gentle, curious. And Hiccup... he was giggling, happy, touching this gentle giant with the same curiousity. Cloudjumper turned to me and I can still remember trying to raise the sword, but my hands were shaking so hard. And when I looked into his eyes... there was nothing but an intelligent, gentle creature who shared my soul."

Valka choked on a sob then, still emotional as she forced out this buried history of her life before the nest. Eret waited, felt her arm tighten on him again.

"And then Stoick found us. He almost hurt Cloudjumper, and I _know_ he was trying to save me but... I was never in danger. Cloudjumper turned and tried to defend me in turn, and, well, a wooden hut doesn't stand much chance against Stormcutter fire. I went to reach for Hiccup, but Cloudjumper stopped me and by the time Stoick had pulled Hiccup from his crib, Cloudjumper had grabbed me and taken off. And that... that was the last time I saw my husband or my son."

She fell silent again save for sniffles and whimpers, the weight lifting from her freeing up a torrent of emotions that Eret had honestly not expected when he was just looking to ask how she wanted her eggs. He wondered distantly if she'd ever shared any of it with Mala or Atali, but it seemed less likely with how she dumped it all out now, as though it had been building and building behind a wall in her mind until the dam broke.

"Cloudjumper brought me here. I raged at him for _days,_ demanding he take me home. I almost froze to death because I wouldn't let him take care of me. He brought me fish, but I refused to even eat when he was there."

"What changed?"

"I was too tired to fight much after... I think it was about a week, but it might have been less. I had little to go on but how often I slept. And he brought other dragons to me. They were all so _sweet,_ nuzzling me and purring like kittens when I stroked them. So _gentle._ They surrounded me until I was warm, and I eventually made a fire and I sat with them, eating and drinking and just watching them. And when I was feeling a little better, they introduced me to the Alpha. And I knew... I knew I could never go back. I could never raise the son my husband needed, I could never stand by as they hurt and killed the dragons again. So... it was the hardest choice I ever made, but I stayed."

The tears had stopped, but she continued to shake as they looked out to the sky and the sea around them, heard the roars of early morning flyers out enjoying themselves. Eret let her settle for a while, something nagging at the back of his mind.

"I guess I can't specifically say you made the _right_ choice, because only you can decide that. But I understand it, and when I look around the nest, I can't help but wonder... or even worry what might have happened if you'd made a different one."

"I know. And I truly believe my son is better off without me. Safer, certainly."

Eret didn't agree or disagree; it wasn't his place.

"So... what were you doing out here?"

"Oh. I... I write to him. On his birthday. I tell him about my year. Sounds silly, I'm sure, but I suppose I always hoped one day I'd see him again, and I didn't want him to think I had ever forgotten him."

"I don't think that's silly. I think it's hopeful, and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, if you had no hope, you would never have decided to go out and become the feral vigilante you are. And you don't know what the future will bring. That reunion can still happen."

It was _unlikely,_ but Eret had once considered something like Valka convincing him dragons weren't so bad completely impossible. Maybe she was just an impossible woman.

To both his and Cloudjumper's great surprise, Valka turned and slid her hand over Eret's jaw, reaching to press a kiss to his cheek. Her lips were still a little damp with tears, so the print ought to have felt cold but left him with a warm, tingling feeling on his skin.

"Thank you Eret. I... I've never talked about this with anybody before."

He nodded. Hoped his cheeks weren't as red as they felt.

"Well, you can talk to me about anything. You know the worst of me already, after all. And I don't exactly scare easy."

Valka smiled for the first time, turning back to look out to the sea in silence but he could see the weight that had lifted from her shoulders just _talking_ about it.

"Wait. What did you say your husbands name was again?"

She raised an eyebrow, confusion replacing her smile and he missed it dearly.

"I... Stoick. Most called him Stoick the Vast, as he was head and shoulders the tallest in our village, and built... well, he wrestled dragons bare handed. Why?"

"I know that name..." Eret tapped his fingers on his knees, trying to summon up the buried memory and eventually dredging up one of Drago's favourite scare tactics "oh."

"Oh? What do you mean, oh?"

Valka had turned to face him properly, resting on her knees and straightening up to be eye to eye.

"I think... oh man, I don't really want to tell you this. But I think he's... dead."

She gasped, hands clapped to her mouth.

_"What?"_

"It was something Drago told us about, years ago. There was this... gathering of Chieftains about fifteen years back. They were talking about that problem, the dragon raids. Drago went there and told them he could control dragons, he'd keep them safe. _If_ they chose to bow down and follow him. As it was a room full of hot-blooded Vikings... it didn't go well. They laughed at him. Drago left and sent dragons in to burn the place down. He said nobody survived, and he stood to watch it burn for a while. He took us there to show us the ruins, as a warning to anyone who thought to disobey or disrespect him."

"Oh my gods... Stoick... Hiccup! Did Drago say there were children there?"

Eret shook his head.

"No. He hates children, he'd have gloated about that if there were. It was just the leaders."

"Oh gods, then who... my son has no parents. Who took care of him? I should have _been there!_ "

Eret placed his hands on her arms, trying to calm Valka as she began to shake again.

"Hey, hey. You said he's the chiefs son. I gotta imagine someone stepped up to take care of him. Did Stoick have family?"

"His parents died not long after we wed, but... I suppose Gobber would have taken on Stoick's boy, certainly" she relaxed an inch "he's a good man."

Valka calmed a little, so Eret let go of her. After a minute, she looked up at him, determination strong in her face.

"Show me."

-HTTYD-

**Oh look, a little angst for the day!**


	19. Chapter 19

**So if you don't read Making A Killing/follow me on tumblr, you may have missed a notice that I'm going on a HTTYD hiatus. Now, Changed _might_ be exempt because I don't find it stressful to write like others, but not sure yet. Anywhoooo, on with the pining idiots.**

-HTTYD-

Eret made her wait a little, though it was with good reason - they had sick dragons to think of, and hadn't even eaten breakfast themselves just yet. He cooked while she checked on the dragons, made sure they would be fed and watered and comfortable while the humans were gone. Her stomach was in knots, she could barely eat but Eret told her they weren't leaving until she did.

"Don't need you getting faint and falling out of the sky now, do we?"

He had a point, she conceded. They set off just as the sun was reaching its highest point, flying low for a while as Eret got his bearings after sorting through a few maps to work out their journey path. Normally she was the one leading _him,_ but only Eret knew where her now ex-husbands final moments of life had been spent. He didn't make her talk about it more, left Valka to try and sort through her toiling mind as they flew.

 _Fifteen years..._ Hiccup would only have been three. Valka was still learning her way around dragon species back then, and had only just begun tackling Drago and his fellow, foul comrades in destruction. All that time, Valka had at least been content in the knowledge Hiccup had his father, that while Stoick had been a hard man to love sometimes, he would have raised his son with the pride of a chief. She'd felt Hiccup was safer without her there.

And while Valka didn't _blame_ the _dragons_ \- good dragons under the control of bad people did bad things - she couldn't ignore that dragons had taken both of Hiccup's parents from him, though in different ways. She was one of them now, while Stoick was undoubtedly watching her from Valhalla, wondering how she could have stayed away so long.

"Hang here for a minute, just flying up to get a better distance view."

Eret called out to her, leaning back in the saddle slightly to encourage Tripfire to fly upwards, the two gone for only a couple of minutes before Eret dove back down, seeming satisfied with the direction they continued on in. They had to be wary - they were well beyond the safe zone of the mountain now, could run into hunters or just very surprised, unhappy sailors. The oceans were a little turbulent beneath, not ideal for sailing but that had never stopped the Vikings Valka grew up with.

It wasn't until they stopped to feed and water Cloudjumper and Tripfire that the enormity of where they were going began to truly _hit_ her. Valka didn't know what she expected to see after a decade and a half had gone by, doubted she'd find answers or closure there but something in her just _had_ to go, like the least she could do as the absent, runaway wife and mother she became was pay her respects to Stoick's final moments.

Perhaps selfishly, Valka had always had a lingering hope somewhere in the very pit of her mind - maybe one day she could learn enough, and go and stop the raids on Berk. Bring peace to make up for her years away. She'd always told herself she had _time,_ only for Eret to drop on her that there had never been time at all.

"We're almost there."

Eret let her know some two hours flight later, her hands numb despite the gloves Eret made as they did a cursory aerial sweep of the surrounding ocean before they headed down to land on an island that felt _empty,_ utterly devoid of life. He looked around for a couple of minutes before nodding to himself and leading them on foot through a narrow valley between hunks of rock. Cloudjumper barely managed to fit before they came out to a spot where Eret stopped, glancing around before he raised his hands to take off his helmet.

"This is the spot. Nobody dared live on the island when they realised Drago kept coming back."

Valka took her own helmet off, placing it down and taking in the scene before her. There was little left after all the years of the elements to sweep away the remnants, but the earth beneath still bore faint scorch marks, and there was very little of even the hardiest plants making their attempts to grow there. She stood for a while, silent and unsure what she should do. Did it count as a gravesite when there was no burial?

"What did it look like when you were here?"

Eret didn't comment on how Valka was clearly crying as she spoke. She appreciated it.

"Not much different, really. There was a bit of foundation left along here" he drew a line with his fingers in the air over the ground "and I recognise the cliff from last time."

Valka continued her quiet reflection for a while, Cloudjumper steady at her side. When she looked up, wiping her eyes, Eret and Tripfire were nowhere to be found. She looked around, confused, until she heard them coming back and saw they'd gone to collect... rocks?

"What are you doing?"

"I've lived around Vikings long enough to know some of your traditions. I think burial is out, but we can mark the site."

He seemed to think to himself for a minute, then had Tripfire follow him as he laid the stones in the shape of a ship over the spot he'd brought her to. It hadn't even occurred to Valka to do such a thing, she was so out of touch with her own culture - and it wasn't even _Eret's_ native traditions, but he was attempting to respect hers.

"Thanks Tripfire."

Eret moved back over to her, silent and supportive as he gently took her hand. Valka turned to him and cried, so very glad he was _there_ for that moment, that he held her and let her finally lighten the emotional weight she'd carried for almost two decades. The dragons crooned softly, unsure what to do to help but Valka appreciated them just being there as she fought to regain control of herself. Eret shushed her attempts to apologise, pulling some cloth from his bag so Valka could clean her face up a little.

"I had a feeling it would be emotional for you."

"Thank you."

He nodded, falling quiet again as he waited for Valka to decide whether she wanted to stay a little longer or not. They climbed to the top of the cliff nearby, surveying the stone layout from high above and she hadn't realised it, but the sight gave Valka a sense of closure once she saw it properly - it _looked_ like a Viking gravesite now. After a few minutes thought, Valka took the ring from around her neck - she'd worn it for the flight. It felt like the right thing for her to do. Heading back down to the site, Valka picked up another stone, dug a small hole in the middle of the stone ship, buried her ring and placed the stone over the dirt she covered it with.

"We buried our dead with things they needed in life to carry with them. I don't know what else I could leave here."

"I don't think you have to leave anything here. For us, it's the respect for the dead that matters, but burial was always tricky for us anyway."

"Oh?"

Eret nodded.

"Yeah. A lot of frozen ground. We'd wrap them and keep them somewhere extra cold, then either have a sort of... mass celebration with pyres when their souls danced in the sky, or bury them when the ground thawed enough if they hadn't shown themselves yet."

There was a flicker of nostalgia in his tone, and Valka realised that Eret had been displaced from his life more than once now - first by Drago, and again by Valka. She made a mental note to encourage him to talk more of his homeland at some point, remembering how happy he'd been just to find something as simple as the reindeer fur in the marketplace. His Norse was fluent, and she hoped he'd not forgotten his native tongue because of it.

"Thank you for bringing me here."

"Of course. I'm just sorry I had to break such bad news."

"It wasn't your fault. And now I... now I know."

Valka considered a rather more ridiculous, _insane_ idea of taking Eret to Berk, of seeing for herself that Hiccup was alright. But that was truly a terrible idea, she reasoned. Yes, perhaps Valka could have explained herself, but she would also be putting Cloudjumper and Tripfire at a huge risk.

She'd made her choice, and though missing her son was a physical _ache_ sometimes, Valka knew she had to stand by it. What good would it have done Hiccup anyway, to know his mother was alive and _chose_ to stay away? Swallowing around the lump in her throat, Valka cast her eyes over the small offering they'd made.

"We can go."

"You sure? You can spend as long as you want here. I'll wait."

"No no. I think... I think I got what I came for."

Eret nodded, smile small but warm. Cloudjumper and Tripfire both nuzzled her, their affection a reminder of _why_ she'd made her choice. Hiccup was better off without her. The dragons... well, Valka liked to think she'd made a positive difference _somewhere_ for their kind.

The flight back was slow, casual, a gentle journey rather than a great hurry. Stormcutters were excellent gliders, after all, and so they could go as slow and easy as they liked unless urgency demanded it. They were just looking for a spot to take a break for food and water when Eret pulled up sharply, gesturing to Valka to _wait there_ as he shot up toward the cloud level.

Confused, Valka hovered there with Cloudjumper, leaning forward on one knee and scouting the ocean. She caught sight of ships in the distance, though she didn't recognise their sails well. Eret might have done - he'd undoubtedly have had more face-to-face interactions and less violent altercations with those who hunted dragons before. He dropped back down, lifting his helmet visor.

"Hunters?"

"Worse. Friends of Drago's. Army leaders. They never come this far north though, two of them are from the East and they usually meet further south because they hate the cold."

"Are we going after them?"

"We _could,_ they aren't carrying many dragons and they're more focused on letting Drago do the dirty work right now. They fund him, mostly, in return for his promise not to massacre them with his dragon army. But these guys are still skilled hunters, and we are two against an army."

Valka straightened her shoulders.

"That's never stopped me before."

The dragons growled in agreement, so Eret shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright then. Keep sharp guys, this lot like knock-out darts."

Eret dropped his helmet and the two headed up to the clouds for cover, weapons in hand before they took their first dive down. The fight started as soon as the first flames touched decks, not nearly fireproofed enough for such skilled hunters but then their dragons were either knocked out or muzzled, Valka saw. Cloudjumper banked violently left to avoid several darts, shot back an equally violent flame in return and scattered those bearing them.

Tripfire was already hard at work in her own way - rather than just _burn_ the ships, she tore great chunks of the wood from the deck and the sides, throwing the pieces down at humans who had to scramble free before Eret leapt down to the deck himself to free those dragons caged. Six flew free from three cages, no longer muzzled and two Raincutters stayed back to help. Their abilities were two-fold - they could shoot flames that resisted water, making them excellent for stealth attacks in storms, and if they drank down water first they could shoot it with equally powerful force. And still, they were a gentle, peaceful species, Valka's grip on her staff tightening in anger at them taken to be fed into Drago's army.

Eret managed to get clear of the sinking ship before it disappeared underwater, and Valka took her eyes off of him to focus on another ship. She saw the way several looked to one woman, the crown of her helmet resembling the antler-horns of a Goregutter dragon. Ironic, really, how so many who sought to destroy dragons used them as emblems.

Flashes of fire from the corner of her eye said that Tripfire was handling herself fine as they set to empty more cages of more dragons, setting loose a Triple Stryke and a Slithersong, two Monstrous Nightmares taking flight after throwing a few flames toward their captors for good measure. Valka would have time to be angry at them for intruding on an already incredibly emotionally wraught day for her later, when the dragons were free.

A couple of ships had peeled off from the others to sail in different directions, but their cages were empty and so Valka left them alone - to seek them out would be purely vengeful, and there were still dragons to free. She happily knocked down several hunters with swift blows from her staff, Cloudjumper flinging several straight into the waiter with a few choice flicks of his tail, roaring with laughter before they ran for the next cages. Not their most planned out or streamlined rescue, but duty called when duty called.

Smoke dusting her armour and occasionally tainting the air she breathed, Valka coughed a few times under her mask before looking around and hopping back up onto Cloudjumper. His broad wings dispelled the clouds of smoke enough to check for cages still filled amidst the few ships not yet sunk or escaped, and more than a dozen dragons had been freed and cleared out of there quick. A couple more hovered nearby, looking to the strange ones with human riders for information or perhaps seeking to help - some dragons were so fiercely loyal they would stay to protect a stranger if they'd helped them.

"I think we're clear. Where's Tripfire?"

Cloudjumper soon began looking every which way for his beloved, caught sight of her finishing up with a ship she was tearing to pieces seemingly just for fun by then. He called out to her and she turned, spat one last fireball at her target before zooming over to them. Valka looked to her saddle, confused to find it void of rider.

"Where's Eret?"

Tripfire threw her a confused look, then twisted her neck as far as she could, repeated the motion from the other direction before looking at Valka, roaring in visible distress.

They scoured the decks of the ships still floating, all of the sailors having long departed to either swim or use their lifeboats to get away.

Then they scoured the water, even diving down to check Eret hadn't gotten caught by a current, though Valka knew he was a strong swimmer. Soaked through and still sans Eret, Valka remembered the ships that had sailed off while they were busy.

She dared not send Tripfire alone, which meant they couldn't follow _both_ ships.

* * *

Eret regretted opening his eyes as soon as he did it, stomach lurching from the awful dizziness that made it feel as though the world was spinning around him at alarming speeds. It was worse than Tripfire doing spirals right after breakfast.

His neck throbbed with pain, and when Eret reached up to touch it he hissed at the tender, slightly swollen bump there. Struggling through his quicksand thoughts, he remembered something about ships, ships and dragons and...

"Tripfire!"

Eret sat up, cursing himself instantly as the world tipped sideways and he fell to the ground next to some sort of makeshift cot, emptying his stomach onto the floor with painful spasms in his stomach.

At least he didn't have his helmet on. That would have been _messy._

"Looks like the venom didn't agree with him."

The voice was sarcastic, smug and definitely female. The answering one had something a little more Celtic to it.

"He's no good to us dead."

"Hush Ragnar, go do something useful."

Eret fumbled clumsily and gripped the side of something sturdy, hauling himself up and back into his cot before he keeled over in his own vomit.

"Like what?"

"Send word to Drago. We have his runaway."

Panic gripped at odds with his delirium, that name tugging at his half-awareness and telling Eret he was in a bad, bad situation. His hand scrabbled at his belt, but his swords were gone. As was his helmet, his armour, and even his tunic to expose the brand on his chest. Someone had undressed him. His mind was sluggish, like crawling through Valka's awful yak stew...

_Valka!_

He gripped the side tighter, rubbing his eyes and attempting to dig some lucidity up from his mind. He couldn't hear any other people, and his captors had only spoken of him. Eret felt sure if they had the vigilante who enjoyed smashing up Drago's operations, that would be just as, if not more appealing than his runaway.

"What did you hit me with?"

"Deathgripper venom."

"Ragnar!"

"What? Drago's gonna kill 'im, what good will it do him?"

"Just go!"

Grumbling, 'Ragnar' stomped off with heavy steps. Attempting to see straight through his hazy vision, Eret managed to make out the shape of someone... about Valka's size, not including what he almost thought were her _own_ horns, but he realised were part of a helmet when he blinked away a little more blurriness.

Deathgripper... Deathgripper...

_Uh oh._

"You're working with Grimmel."

There was a short intake of breath, but she soon relaxed.

"Of course, you were a Hunter yourself. You'd know Grimmel."

"Yeah. He's a psychopath. Good match for Drago."

"Better than a coward who ran from the hunt."

Eret rolled his eyes, wishing his legs didn't feel so numb and weak.

"Between coward and killer, I'd choose coward every day."

Oh, he didn't feel well at all. Eret hoped the after effects of the venom wouldn't last long. It was one _hel_ of a knock out, obviously. Lethal in the wrong (or right, maybe) doses, and clearly not all that agreeable with humans.

She - he was pretty sure her name was Grimora or something - merely laughed, and left Eret in his... cell? Barely dressed and having to be careful not to fall in the mess he'd left on the floor. Eret managed to get himself horizontal on the cot, so at least he could try and think without the world trying to fall over.

Right. So. He was captured. They hadn't threatened him with hurting Tripfire, and the ship wasn't on fire, so they probably didn't have her. They also didn't appear to have caught Valka either. But without his weapons, dragons, or the ability to stand up straight, Eret had very little chance of escape by himself. And that was bad, because if he didn't get off the ship they were on - he knew they were sailing by the familiar motion of the ocean beneath - he would be handed over to Drago, likely for a punishment that would make his branding seem like a picnic lunch.

Depending on how long he'd been gone, Valka had probably noticed he was missing. They were... better, than they had been a couple of months ago, so hopefully she'd at least _try_ to look for him. If not, Tripfire would. Save for sleep, she'd not gone half a day without licking Eret and he doubted that would change just because he'd been captured. If anything, he imagined any reunion or rescue would come with extra licks.

As his vision began to clear, Eret made out the pile of colourful things in the corner of the room beyond his cell - his armour! His swords were there too, and his helmet. He didn't wear his fur under his armour, but his tunic was over there - torn, annoyingly. They'd obviously been heavy handed in removing it.

His co-ordination was nowhere near good enough to figure out how to bust out of his cell yet though, so Eret could only lay there and _think_ while the venom worked its way out of his system. The rocking of the ship was a comfort to the seasoned sailor, at least, and his stomach was no longer felt like it was making a bid for freedom through his throat. He was sweating something awful though.

He didn't realise he'd fallen asleep until he woke up, found somebody had been sent in to clean his cell floor while he slept and that made Eret feel incredibly vulnerable. At least he still had his bottoms on.

Eret was still feeling vaguely out of it, and he had no measure of time beyond how often they gave him a small amount of food and water. Neither of which he trusted, and he avoided the food but knew he'd need water. It was more a sense that they wanted him lucid enough to suffer under Drago than any real desire to keep him alive. He counted each two of his sparse meals as a day, sleeping little and feeling like the worst of the venom was over after three days.

Ragnar was much easier to extract information from than Griselda - not _Grimora,_ as his addled brain had tried to remember - and it seemed he liked to visit Eret because Griselda didn't really like him, and he was lonely.

Of all his kind Eret had encountered, he thought Ragnar might be one they could turn one day if they ever had the time. He was more interested in money than murder, and despite his size, a little soft. He turned up rather drunk at some point and shared the meat he was eating with Eret, which he trusted because Ragnar was eating from the same chunk. Words whispered through prison bars lost charm, but Ragnar wasn't the worst company to keep for a captive, he supposed.

"Why dragons mate? You used to be on the right side."

"I thought that too" Eret stopped to take a drink from his water "but I was literally kidnapped and forced to learn. You should meet my girl."

"The vigilante?"

Eret choked on his mutton. Oh, _that_ was a far more complicated topic, and not one he'd be getting in to with anybody.

"My _dragon._ I met her fighting off a bunch of trappers while muzzled and netted. Couldn't resist."

Gods, he missed her. Her and Valka and even Cloudjumper, the enormous pain in the neck. And the nest, the sound of dragons, the feeling of _flying..._

When he turned back from a wistful moment, Ragnar was on the floor. No small feat, but it barely registered as his heart leapt with the sight of a fully armoured vigialnte standing over the unconscious Ragnar. She put her finger to where her mouth would be beneath the mask, and Eret nodded to show he understood, pointing over to the corner where his things were. Valka lifted the keys hanging from Ragnar's waist, handed them through to Eret while she grabbed his armour and weapons. It took four tries to find the right key, but Eret got his cell open eventually.

"There were two ships. We followed the wrong one, and had to track you down."

"I don't care, I'm just glad you're here."

"Hurry! We're about to be noticed."

Eret was confused initially, until he saw Valka rapping her staff on the side of the 'room' they were in. He'd barely pulled his armour on before there was a great creaking sound, followed by the exposure of sunlight upon his skin at last as two rather large dragons tore at the ship.

"There's my girl!"

Tripfire roared happily at the sight of him, Eret attaching his belt and grabbing his helmet. He glanced over at Ragnar, knew that he couldn't leave him out cold to drown if the ship went down. Eret threw his water at him, and Ragnar jerked awake with a splutter just in time to watch Eret jump out to grab hold of Tripfire's tail, clinging on for dear life when she swerved to avoid more of those accursed darts until they were high enough for her to even out, curving her tail upwards so Eret could drop onto her back and clamber into the saddle.

"You didn't have to save him."

Valka knelt on Cloudjumper's back, lifting her helmet off to talk to him when they were far enough from the ship to

"He was... well, better to me than the others. And he doesn't _hate_ dragons the way the others do. They're just a tradeable good. Besides, I thought we agreed they're only allowed to die of their own stupidity, and _you_ knocked Ragnar out."

"Ragnar?"

"Yeah. They caught me with a dart, I must have fell on to a ship without Tripfire noticing" she cooed sadly and Eret rubbed her neck "it's ok girl, it wasn't your fault. And when the knockout wore off, I realised I knew who they were. That was Ragnar the Rock, he works with a couple of others. There's Griselda, she's the one with the horns" Eret mimed the shape of her helmet "and... who did you follow?"

Valka nodded as he spoke, taking in the knowledge.

"I think his name was... Khan?"

"Yeah. Chaghatai Khan. He's smart, wealthy and connected. Griselda is more... cut first, questions later. Ragnar is muscle and money. They fund some of Drago's operations, and since they used Deathgripper venom on me, I'm also thinking they've been working somewhere along the lines with Grimmel."

He didn't need to ask if Valka knew the name; he saw her face tighten in anger.

"Grimmel the Grisly. Oh, I'd _love_ to get my hands on him."

The venom he'd been hit with was likely diluted, though he wasn't sure what they'd cut it with. Deathgripper venom was pretty damn lethal, after all.

"Yeah. He was famous amongst my- amongst hunters" Eret caught himself "and as far as I know, he's the only hunter who's ever exterminated an entire species."

"Have you met him?"

Eret nodded.

"A couple of times. He gave Drago a cloak made of Night Fury scales, and now I know that some dragons _eat_ other dragons, I have a feeling I know what Drago gave him in return. I only saw the Deathgrippers once, and that was plenty."

They flew for the better part of an hour before they dared land, and Eret was immensely grateful for the chance - he'd not eaten properly or drunk much for what Valka told him was _four whole days._ Sure, he'd had worse weeks, but being seperated from the dragons was painful for him

And being away from Valka was, though Eret would never admit it to her, _agonising._

Tripfire was on him instantly, making up for several days she couldn't lick him all at once, butting her head against his chest and warbling happily when he scratched her chin.

"Yes, yes, I missed you too!"

Dripping with Stormcutter spit, Eret managed to beg Tripfire to let him breathe and eat and drink, half tempted to regret it later and dive into the nearby river for a wash, but he'd be able to bathe in hot water with soap if he waited until they got back to the nest. Valka threw him something to wipe his face down with before there was smoked fish and a canteen of water, and Eret felt infinitely better for it when his stomach was uncomfortably full.

"Did they not feed you?"

"They did a bit, but I didn't trust it. They only wanted me alive long enough to hand over to Drago, really. Apparently, he's pretty mad I ran away and now they know the second vigilante is me. So you'll be pleased to know we can no longer go to trapper trading islands."

Valka actually rolled her eyes, not appreciating his humour apparently.

"We should get back."

"Yeah. Gentle now Tripfire, I don't wanna hurl."

The view of the nest in all it's sharp, icy glory was completely, utterly beautiful, and Eret felt freedom finally settle - he hadn't let himself dwell, but if Drago had made it to him before Valka, he wouldn't have survived to get back there.

Back _home._

Tripfire followed him happily back to his room, still very keen on lots of nuzzling and attention as he began removing his armour, checking him for injuries with sniffs and licks until she was satisfied he was in fact alright.

"Yes, yes, I'm back! But I really do need a bath now."

He headed down to the bathing spot, sinking into hot water with a feeling of pure relief, fairly sure he'd never want to leave again. However, he was also pretty sure Tripfire would sit and watch him until she wanted to go flying again, and lift him out of his bath water if he'd tried to stay too long.

Dry, clean and having shaved his face of several days scruff, he ran his hand over the once-again visible tattoo and wiped his face while there was still a little steam from the cooling water. Valka had made tea for him when he came back up from his bathing, and she sat next to him as they drank in silence for a while. He made dinner, and Valka joked that was the real reason she'd rescued him as he cooked. Eret relaxed a little more hearing it, knowing they were _good_ again.

Reluctant but tired after days of not daring to sleep much, Eret stood to leave for his own room when it became time for bed. Valka stood when he did, and Eret expected she would go and get ready for bed herself. Instead, he felt her grab his wrist, holding tight until he turned to look at her.

"Stay?"

-HTTYD-

**This chapter somehow got surprisingly long and I'm not sure how.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Valka has access to Eret cuddles, and I for one am terribly envious. Eret definitely gives great cuddles.**

-HTTYD-

In those moments she'd feared they wouldn't find Eret in time, Valka found herself making a deal; with herself or the gods, she wasn't sure, but Valka swore that if they _found_ Eret and rescued him, she'd tell him how she felt.

They found him, and Valka couldn't find the words to do more than ask him to stay with her. Eret didn't need more though, and he simply nodded. He was barely awake by the time Valka joined him in her bed, too tired for awkward conversations or anything _else,_ but he wrapped his arm around her and curled around her back before falling asleep within a minute. Cloudjumper gave them a somewhat perplexed look, but Tripfire nudged him and they settled up on the ceiling to sleep themselves soon after.

Valka drifted quicker than she expected, drawn to slumber by the warmth and comfort brought by Eret's presence and hold. She woke still there, Eret still out cold behind her but his arm was a cosy weight upon her, his breathing a relaxing lull. Leaving was not something she particularly wanted to do, but her full bladder urged her out of bed anyway. When she returned, Eret was awake but hadn't moved, was looking at the space she'd vacated with a little confusion.

"This isn't my room."

Valka would have been lying if she had said she wasn't nervous as he looked up at her, rubbing his face. He sat up, scratched idly at his face before looking at her again.

"Did I dream it, or did you ask me to stay?"

"If I didn't, do you think you would be in my bed?"

His brows furrowed in thought.

"Good point."

Eret climbed up out of the bed and stretched, then rubbed his messy hair back and frowned before turning back, searching the bed for what turned out to be his hair tie.

"Well, I'm gonna go get dressed and stuff. Are we talking about... _this_ or not?"

He wasn't letting her off easy, it seemed. Or perhaps he was, if she said no.

"I... don't know."

Eret let that sit, then nodded before stepping into his nest-boots and heading off to his own room with Tripfire following him. She sank down to sit on the edge of her bed with a sigh, placing her head in her hands.

What was she doing, really? It felt as though there was little doubt any longer that there was _something_ going on, something mutual and tangible between she and Eret. But she'd been keen to keep some measure of healthy seperation from him, when they already lived so close and were effectively each others only human relationship. And perhaps that might have worked at one point, but Eret seemed to have a knack for slipping through her defences and taking root under her skin. Valka had been truly terrified she'd never find him again when he vanished, and been _so_ relieved to find him alive and unharmed.

Because she _did_ have feelings for him, much as she'd tried to deny it. Valka had known it before he kissed her in that tavern, but she'd thought she had vows to honour and a living husband. Now she knew she didn't, and Valka knew in her heart she hadn't really _loved_ Stoick in a long time... but it didn't seem right to go from his gravesite to bedding Eret.

Eret came back dressed and fending off an affectionate Stormcutter, who huffed before turning and disappearing. He watched her, rolling his eyes with a fond smile.

"Guarantee she's gone to get her saddle, I have a lot of missed flying to make up for apparently."

Valka nodded, unsure what to say to him. Eret frowned, approached her warily and she eyed him with equal wariness.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, you know."

"I know."

He wasn't much taller than her, really, but when she shied away he seemed to tower over her. Eret stilled when she stepped back, looking a little... _hurt._ She had been the one to ask him to stay, so it probably wasn't fair of her to be so peculiar now. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Look, you're not the only one who's a little terrified here. I mean, every relationship I ever had with a woman only lasted for the time my ship was in port. I'm not going to suggest we rush into anything, but can we just... _let_ whatever is going on happen, with no pressure?"

"No pressure?"

Eret nodded.

"If I make you feel pressured, tell me. But I don't want to go back to when you could barely look at me, so just... tell me what you want from me, and I'll go with it."

Feeling rather on the spot - Eret had pushed many of Valka's _very_ rusty people skills into action - she could only shrug for a moment, not entirely sure _what_ she wanted from him until her brain kicked back in a little.

"I... come back. Here. At night?"

"Can I bring my reindeer blanket?"

When she nodded, Eret smiled.

"Cool. Breakfast?"

As though that was that, Eret headed over to get the fire going. She'd not noticed it was out that morning, because Eret had been so _warm_ when he held her through the night Valka hadn't felt a chill. He was bent down on one knee by the firepit, waiting for the flames Tripfire kindly donated to take more fully. On something of a whim, Valka moved and knelt next to him, barely waiting for Eret to turn toward her before she kissed him.

He froze in surprise for a few seconds, almost long enough for her to doubt whether she'd done the right thing before he responded, broad hand cradling her cheek as he kissed her softly, sweetly. It was a world away from the frantic, clumsy clash in the tavern, left a warmth in her chest and a gentle flutter in her belly. Disgruntled dragon grumbling in their direction seperated them, a very impatient looking Cloudjumper nudging his food bowl before being scolded by Tripfire for interrupting them.

Eret laughed, then looked back at Valka with his amber eyes full of happiness.

"It's good to be home."

* * *

He half expected it to be awkward, at least to begin with. They were both clueless, really - Valka had been married before she had seen seventeen winters, and Eret hadn't ever actually courted anyone. He was a taste of adventure that would vanish in the morning, never struggling to find someone to spend a night with in a tavern when he travelled by ship. But now he had somewhere to put down roots again in a way, had somewhere to call home again that didn't have sails ever since he left his true homeland.

"What was it like?"

"What was what like?"

Valka had her legs pulled up to her chest, head resting on her knees as she watched Eret. She did that a lot, but it seemed to make her happy and Eret liked it when she smiled at him, so he left her to her watching.

"Where you lived. Before..."

"Before Drago?"

"Yes."

Eret looked out over the ocean, the two sat up on the alcove he'd found Valka crying over her son in a month or so ago now. Between the gravesite and the being captured, that had been a rough week for both of them, but it had led to _now,_ and now had Valka holding his hand and sleeping in his arms, had lazy cuddles by the fire and sweet kisses that left them both smiling. Tripfire and Cloudjumper were up in the sky, enjoying a flight together.

"It was... cold. Very cold. Mainly lived on reindeer because they were tough enough to take the cold, _and_ they could travel so we could move around with a food source as needed. My grandfather was an... elder, I suppose, and my father was due to take his place when he died. My days were things like hunting or harvesting from reindeer or building fishing boats, and rope and sometimes taking care of the youngest. My mother was a _fierce_ woman and there wasn't a man in the group who'd dare cross her, including me and my dad. _Her_ mother was one of our healers, taught me everything I know. We settled by the coast for a few years, which meant more fishing and a little farming, but also where we set up some really good forges."

"Your father made your swords there?"

He blinked, surprised.

"You remembered?"

"Of course. You were very distressed at the thought of losing them."

"Yeah. We had some good years there. I was a pretty good hunter, and I could even catch fish with my hands. When the water wasn't frozen, that was."

Valka giggled lightly. He liked the sound, liked the way it made her eyes light up. It made him want to continue with small, happy tales, not tell her where their lives at the coast had led.

"What else?"

"I got my marking" he indicated the ink on his chin "at thirteen, like all the other boys. And because I had steady hands, they taught me how to do them for the next generation, which was a big deal to be chosen for. Luckily, I wasn't the only one to be taught, since, well, I'm not there anymore."

Her fingers slid around his hand, squeezing gently.

"Are they... are your people still there?"

"As far as I know. I haven't been back in a couple of years, but Drago was only interested in the males and so women and children stayed behind. There was an initial resistance when he turned up, because the dragons weren't really much of an issue back then for us. Not many species live that high up. We were happy by ourselves."

"Why did he choose your tribe?"

"I guess he thought we were an easy target. And in a way, we _were._ My people are loyal, connected, and we protect each other above everything else. So..." Eret drew in a deep breath "when Drago killed my father in front of me... I went so he wouldn't hurt anyone else."

Valka's audible gasp of horror didn't surprise him; he'd never spoken about before he was a trapper, not really.

"My mother _begged_ me not to go, but I'd have died myself before I let Drago hurt her. I was... bitter, angry, and while I never accepted Drago hurting my family, I guess I channeled that anger at dragons, and convinced myself there was a worthy end game. If there was peace, then nobody else would have to lose their father, right?"

"No wonder you thought my cause such madness."

Eret turned to look at her, saw the tears threatening to spill over her cheeks.

"I don't regret joining your cause, but yeah, it wasn't easy. I had to turn my back on the choice I made to protect my tribe, and it's why I haven't gone to my cousins on my old ship. Sure, I could probably convince them to change their minds, but we both know Drago would happily massacre what's left of my people in revenge. So long as he's only mad at _me,_ he isn't going to waste time on a bunch of fishermen. He's got a dozen ships of my family and friends out there. I know we need to stop Drago, but..."

He cast his eyes up at Tripfire as she twirled in the sky, wondering what she'd make of everything that happened before they found each other.

"but you've stayed away to keep them safe. I can understand that."

"Yeah, I guess you can."

Valka shuffled a little closer to him, resting her head against his chest as they sat, embraced and quiet for the moment.

"What about your mother?"

"She's gone too, but I did get to see her again. While Drago was down south to demand more money off someone, we sailed back a few years ago. Mom was sick, but she swore she knew I'd come back before she gave in. So I was there when she..." Eret swallowed thickly, fighting his own tears by then "passed. And I saw her in the sky before we left."

"What do you mean?"

Eret felt gentle fingers on his face, Valka wiping his tears as she listened.

"What did you say you call the lights? Aurvandil's Fire?" Valka nodded "Well, my people see those lights as the souls of the dead, come back to let us know they're with us. My mother was a brilliant blue, and she danced across the sky that night like..."

"Like a dragon."

He hadn't thought of it that way until Valka said it, but she was _right._

"Yeah. Exactly like a dragon."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask about such sad things."

Eret shook his head, tightened his arm around Valka.

"No, it's fine. I just haven't spoke about them in a while, it wasn't what we liked to talk about on the ship."

Valka nodded in turn.

"You are always welcome to talk about your homelands with me. I'll listen."

"Thanks. We should head in, those storm clouds are heading closer and we are not actually dragons."

She began to giggle again, confusing Eret slightly.

"What?"

"Just... you. We've come a long way from you calling me the mad dragon lady."

"You are still very much mad dragon lady. I just joined you in the madness. Come on, those two can come in when they want to."

They clambered back down beneath the icy exterior, mindful not to slip on the way down as they made it to rock. Valka took his hand as they walked through the nest, lighting a fire in her room to warm themselves by for a little while.

"Eret?"

"Yeah?"

Valka wasn't quite meeting his eye, and he wasn't sure if she was simply overly warm from the fire or if something else was bringing a rosy flush to her cheeks.

"I... never mind."

"No, what is it?"

She turned away for a second, visibly shy as she drew in a breath before answering.

"Would you help me wash my hair again?"

Eret blinked in surprise, feeling a little warm at the memory of the last time he'd done that. Valka had mentioned in passing that washing _all_ of her hair was something of a hassle before in passing, because then she had to braid it up. But that definitely meant...

"Oh. Uh. Sure, yes!"

It generally took a lot to fluster Eret. Valka was far too good at it. She stood and began searching for her towel and clean clothes, so Eret did the same and followed her down to where they bathed. He turned away, whistling so Valka could undress in peace, unsure what had prompted her to ask but not about to complain. He heard her slip into the heated water, glanced around to see she had her back to him now. Eret undressed quickly and slid down next to her, waiting for Valka to turn around now it was safe.

Her hand moved beneath the water, fingers splaying across the scar on his chest as their eyes met. Eret had been in many precarious situations, but Valka made him feel vulnerable in a way he wasn't really prepared for. She stroked over the raised lines of the brand in silence before leaning forward and pressing her lips to his skin in what felt like a show of acceptance for his past.

Valka turned away and sank down under the water, soaking her hair through before Eret reached for the soap. It felt almost _too_ intimate - before, it had been a matter of necessity, though Valka trusting him while injured had felt rather _close_ too. He didn't have to be wary of an injury that time, and Valka all but sank into him as he worked the cleanser into her hair, letting out those maddening little sounds in the process that had all sorts of wayward effects on Eret. He worked his way through until reluctantly he admitted he was done, backing up to let Valka dunk down and rinse away the residue.

She had him turn away from her so she could return the favour, and Eret couldn't help but notice how easily he turned his back to her, knowing he could trust her. Gentle fingers worked the soap solid through his hair, scalp tingling under her touch and Valka's breath tickling the back of his neck when she seemed to gravitate a little closer to him. At least while she was behind him, Valka couldn't notice he was... _affected_ quite so strongly by her.

Eret rinsed himself off under the water level, pushing wet hair from his face before he turned back toward Valka.

"Promise I didn't peek."

Valka laughed lightly, shaking her head. Perhaps it was slightly strange that they'd bathed together twice now and only known glimpses of the others bare body, but then Valka was definitely his longest ever relationship with a woman _ever,_ and they'd not been physical beyond kisses, cuddles and hand holding since that night in the tavern. He was attracted to her, undoubtedly, with her lovely smiles and bright eyes and talent for overpowering dragon hunters. But Eret wasn't want to rush anything with her, and Valka seemed to appreciate that.

They finished washing off seperately, but neither seemed intent on leaving the warm water yet. After a little hesitation, Valka reached for him and drew Eret close. She couldn't possibly fail to notice he was still hard, but it didn't deter the arms that slid around his neck or her mouth pressing to his. Kissing had often felt like a prelude, a starting point. With Valka it felt like _more,_ like tenderness and closeness. He could feel how she started off a little shy, but confidence grew the longer they held each other close.

Letting Valka choose to move any further, Eret felt her hands move down, fluttering against his skin like butterflies as she stroked the scars on his back, from trapping and sailing and just general physical life stuff. Her fingers slid down to touch his brand again, and Eret felt a strong urge to hide it, to cover the proof of who he'd been before but Valka _knew,_ she knew and she'd taken him in and taught him better anyway. She pulled away from his mouth, breathing quick and skin flushed by the heat rising from their bath. Eret let his own hand slide down, following the shape of her spine and feeling the little bumps of bone, ridges of faded scars and the tickle of her hair beneath the water.

The water gave everything a weightless feel as Valka pulled him close again, Eret groaning as he felt his erection press against the soft of her stomach, felt swollen nipples against his chest despite the heat of the water. Her hands slid into his hair, reminding him of the way she'd been all hands and hunger back on Yule, but that had been alcohol and denial at work. Now they'd admitted there were feelings there, everything since completely sober and intentional. Valka mewled softly against his mouth when Eret pulled her closer to him, clutched him tighter in response.

A surprisingly sure hand reached for his, guiding Eret's touch until the press of his fingers made Valka gasp, her body jumping as though shocked as her eyes closed and she buried her face against his neck. Not about to turn down the invitation, he moved his fingers in slow circles and short strokes, seeking to find what made her moan, what drew those lovely little whines from the back of her throat.

Valka seemed a little more forward when they couldn't really _see_ anything, the water hiding where they touched from view allevating some of her shyness. Eret wasn't really shy, at all, nor did he think Valka had anything to _be_ shy over, but if it helped? He wasn't complaining.

The sound of dragons nearby didn't really register at first - they were all over the nest, he tuned it out to an extent - until an unhappy grumble was followed by a scolding, Eret and Valka pulling apart enough to look over to the entrance where Cloudjumper had spotted them, and Tripfire was chasing him off. Valka looked back at Eret, both falling into fits of giggles.

"I don't think Cloudjumper approves."

"Oh, I think he's just used to being the only man in my life."

"At least Tripfire's on my side."

Still giggling, Valka pressed her face back into his neck.

"We should get out anyway, the waters getting cold."

He'd not noticed, if he was honest, distracted by the aroused naked woman he was touching, but Eret agreed when he felt the temperature dipping toward lukewarm.

"Go ahead, I won't look."

He missed the feel of her body on his as he turned so Valka could get out unwitnessed, admittedly a little ticked by Cloudjumper interrupting but it wasn't the end of the world. Bobbing up and down as he waited, Eret made sure to quip that Valka shouldn't make judgement when he got out as cold made things _smaller._ She looked away, but he caught her smile. His hair was shorter and finer than hers, only really needed wringing out and tying back up before he pulled on fresh bottoms and stepped into his boots, both throwing their other clothes into the basket for washing later.

Valka asked him to braid her hair for her like last time, and Eret was more than happy to oblige. It was even nicer that time, as he wasn't fearful of hurting her or her dizzily tipping over from her seat by the fire as he brushed and twisted and tied, taking his time because he _could,_ because he wasn't worried Valka might question ulterior motives anymore now she knew he... liked her. He frowned to himself for a moment at where _that_ thought had been going, shook it away and smiled when Tripfire nudged at Cloudjumper, who was not impressed with the idea of leaving the two humans alone.

By the time Tripfire had successfully removed a petulant Stormcutter from the room, the other dragons in there seemed to have other places to be too, although up until she took his hand and led him to the bed they'd shared for the last few weeks Eret hadn't thought Valka planned on... continuing anything. Valka's clean shift might as well have not gone on, Eret mused to himself as she let him take it off, her hands purposefully pushing at his waist until Eret removed his own clothes before she slid her body along the length of his as they laid down.

She was nervous, Eret could tell, but that wasn't slowing her down as she ran her hand down his side, smirking against his mouth when Eret squirmed at the slightly ticklish touch. Her fingers trailed across his stomach, kiss faltering as Eret groaned at the feel of her hand closing around his cock. Valka watched him closely, observing like he was a new species of dragon to see how he responded to her touch, her proximity.

It had been a _while_ for Eret, not surrprising considering he'd spent over a year with Valka by that point. Still, he knew in his heart it had never _mattered_ so much, because he'd never had the time to really connect with somebody the way he had with Valka. Her hand moved slowly at first, Eret wanting to urge her on but Valka got there on her own, the eye contact alone oh so very intimate.

When he got hands on her in turn, Eret raised himself enough to look at her properly, saw Valka initially try to shy away and cover herself. He gently pushed her hands away, leaning down to kiss her until she relaxed again. Her skin was littered in scars, burns and scrapes from dragons and several he knew likely came from human weapons wielded against her. Valka had put her life on the line countless times for near twenty years now for dragons; Eret could scarcely believe he'd ever doubted her.

Valka tightened her arms around his neck as his hand grazed her thigh, following a faded scar there before she gasped into his mouth at the pressure of his fingers, hips arching into his touch as she moaned softly. Eret was utterly captivated by the way her face shifted, the flush that spread across her cheeks. Her fingers dug into the back of his neck, letting out sinful, sweet little sounds.

She bucked when Eret slid a finger into her, cock twitching at the way she gripped at him, inwardly smug at how wet he found her to be. His skin tingled with anticipation, desire, dizzy with want for her as Valka clutched him, out of practice but eager all the same as she tried to move with his hand, chasing the sensation of his touch. Eret felt her relax a little more, slipped a second finger in and crooked them up, searching...

"E-Eret!"

He couldn't keep a grin from his face when Valka shuddered, eyes wide as he stroked that sensitive little spot inside her and thrilled in the way her legs twitched. Nails short from dragon-scale-scratching dragged over his damp back, left fiery lines in their wake. She reached to grab his wrist, tugging until he moved his hand before her legs wound around his hips, urging him closer.

"I can wait-"

Valka cut him off with a deep kiss, breathy words whispering across his lips.

"I want you."

She held his gaze the whole time as Eret pressed steadily inward, biting her lip with a low whine when his hips settled between quivering thighs. He ran his hand over her leg, soothing, knowing it was likely a little overwhelming for Valka when she hadn't been intimate with _anyone_ in many years.

"Alright? We can stop if you need to."

Eret didn't _want_ to, mind half-blank with the feel of soft and wet clenching tight at his cock, but he'd happily stop rather than willingly hurt Valka. She shook her head, breathing slowly for a few seconds before he felt her start to relax around him a bit.

"I'm ok. _Move."_

As if to punctuate her request, her hips gave a little push against his, the hands on his shoulders pulling him down to kiss her again. Eret obliged happily, moved slowly and hoped he wouldn't just come there and then. He shifted on his knees, making small, shallow thrusts to help Valka relax further until the tight, short sighs became soft, needy mewls and moans.

A lot about Valka and the way she expressed herself was very physical, placing her hand on his cheek and just _watching_ him for a minute, such a searching gaze that it left Eret feeling laid bare in a way that had nothing to do with his nudity. She scarcely needed to speak with emotions displayed across her face so openly, letting her body say things her voice could not. Her teeth dragged over his bottom lip, pulling a pitifully needy sound from Eret and a playful smile to Valka's face.

Her eyes were the most expressive feature of her face though, with their strange green-blue mix of colour that caught the light off the ice around the nest and glittered. If her helmet hadn't hidden them, he'd probably have gotten distracted in fights with her before. He missed them when Valka's eyes fell closed, but was easily distracted by the way her tongue slid out to wet dry lips, by the way her hands clutched his skin before seeking purchase in the furs on their bed and bunching them in her fists. Gods, she was beautiful always, but losing herself to pleasure made Valka exquisite, indescribable.

His name spilled from her tongue, never sounding sweeter than it did in the cadence of Valka's moans. The grace of the dragon woman was still evident even when they were horizontal and so closely entwined, lithe body stretching and arching and twisting in ecstacy. Every buck and tremor added to the growing heat, every thrust like fire in his blood.

Thoughts he'd shaken off earlier tried to take hold again and Eret shoved them away anew, letting himself be lost in Valka instead, in the way she clawed at his back and bit at his skin, increasingly feral the higher Eret pushed her. He lost himself in the taste of her mouth, the feel of her moving with him as instinct overrode inexperience.

Lost as he was, a shred of logic and practicality made itself known before Eret's mind abandoned him entirely, reminding him to pull out in time to spill over Valka's stomach, hearing her let out a sound of frustration at the interruption. Hands clumsy with the rush his brain soaked in, Eret curved his fingers back up against the spot that made her shake, stroking inside and out until she spasmed and bit him harder, nails rough enough against his skin to be dragon claws but it was worth it to watch the way bliss overtook her, having to lean back slightly as Valka curled up into him.

Slowly, she relaxed under him, breath ragged and mixed with those "oh"-sighs, one hand letting go of Eret to push the hair that rested over her face up, damp with sweat and sticking to her cheeks and temples. Eret wiped his mess from her stomach with one of their bed furs, tossed it to the floor to deal with later before he crawled back up to lie next to Valka, felt her hand searching for his until their fingers laced together.

They just watched each other until the thumping of racing hearts began to slow, breath coming in less sharp drags, her exhales cool on his sweaty skin. They traded soft kisses, stroking bare skin until words could be chosen.

"We should get up, else I'll stay here the rest of the day."

"I would say that's not an issue, but Tripfire would disagree and I imagine Cloudjumper is somewhere nearby waiting to check i didn't hurt you."

Valka laughed, nuzzling against his chest for a moment before they pulled apart.

"I imagine so."

Eret got up and pulled his bottoms on before retrieving water for Valka to wipe herself down with, though they didn't stay apart long and were soon sat next to each other near the fire, her hand wrapped around his.

"Are we good? I mean, you don't regret anything, right?"

He wasn't sure why he was nervous, but Eret couldn't help asking. Valka smiled warmly at him.

"Not a thing."

Relieved, Eret watched her tuck an errant hair behind her ear as she let go of his hand to mix some herbs for tea.

Try as he might to ignore it, to push it away because he was so tired of losing people, Eret couldn't deny it any longer when Valka smiled over at him again.

He loved her.

-HTTYD-

**FINALLY**

**amirite?**


	21. Chapter 21

**I think twenty chapters to fuck is a personal best for me. I never usually have that much self control haha.**

**Also (just as I was setting up to work on this!) if you potter on over to my tumblr (Heathenvampires) you will find a really adorable thing made by diamondsinmyhair for this fic, and I haven't stopped smiling about it for like half an hour at this point.**

-HTTYD-

Eret slumbered on at her side, warm and affectionate even in his sleep as he held her close. Valka watched him, occasionally glancing up to the ceiling where Cloudjumper and Tripfire hung. When the angry, injured trapper had first literally leapt into her life, Valka couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Now she could scarcely imagine being without him, after he'd slowly wormed his way under her skin and into her heart.

There were bruises forming on his shoulder where Valka had bitten him, a little lost in the heat of the moment earlier though Eret hadn't seemed to mind, winking when he caught her looking at the bite marks earlier over dinner. Oh, she'd been so _nervous_ when they first laid down together; Eret had been candid with his tales of nights in taverns, that he'd bedded more women (and men, though he shared that rather more quietly) than he could reliably keep count of through the years he'd spent at sea. Valka's sole sexual experience laid many years back as a young, virginal bride, and she'd feared being unable to measure up.

Eret had been beyond gentlemanly, really, checking on her and offering to stop when he saw her in discomfort, taking his time with her until her body relaxed for him.

 _Gods_ was she glad they hadn't gone through with that drunken Snoggletog night. They'd fallen together so naturally instead, and it left her with a smile on her face and a sense of contentment in her chest.

Sex with Stoick had been... _nice,_ she supposed, but Valka had been every bit the inexperienced bride on their wedding night, and there had been other nights where the Chief was tired and stressed and simply wanted the creature comfort of his wife before he rolled over to sleep. She'd still been growing back then, while Stoick was a fully grown man. Not the largest age gap on the island, and given how she struggled to fit in with her tribe on Berk Valka wasn't likely to be swamped in marriage offers, so to be wed to the _Chief_ was quite something, but still, those first nights hadn't been particularly pleasant.

A grown woman herself now and more than strong enough to physically contend with Eret, their first time together had been _very_ pleasant. As had their first nights sleeping alongside each other; she'd denied it to Mala, but Valka had been _lonely._ The simple intimacy of just holding each other through sleep, the most vulnerable moment for any animal, had been more than she'd experienced in over fifteen years.

Oh gods, Mala was going to be _so_ smug about her 'knowing' something would happen between Valka and Eret. Still, Valka wasn't too upset considering it was a development that made her quite happy.

As she turned onto her side to settle down properly and sleep herself, Eret shifted behind her and snuggled Valka tightly before he stilled again, bringing a smile to her face. Her mind did spare thoughts for Hiccup, knowing that taking up a relationship with Eret meant that if she _did_ ever find her son again, she'd have to answer for another man in her life to him.

When she woke, Eret was already awake and watching her sleep through soft, half-closed eyes.

"Morning."

There was a brief hesitation there in his face; like he'd asked her the night before, Eret seemed afraid that Valka would have regrets. Valka did the only reassuring thing she could think of and kissed him, both with small smiles on their faces when they parted.

"Good morning."

Visibly relieved, Eret didn't actually move, seeming rather keen to stay there in bed with her. Much as Valka would enjoy the luxury of that herself, the dragons were waking and she doubted either Stormcutter would let them get away with skipping breakfast or morning flights. Especially Cloudjumper, who was still a little unsure about the whole thing and in need of reassurance that Valka hadn't abandoned him for Eret.

"Come on, up you get."

"Ugh, you're so mean to me!"

Eret rose from the bed with a pout, his back bearing faint red lines that made Valka's face heat, memories of exactly _how_ he'd taken her to pieces last night sparking in her belly. He left for the bathroom while Valka put a couple of logs in the firepit for Cloudjumper to light up, pampering her dragon with affectionate scratches and nuzzles until he was purring lightly.

"All yours, I'm gonna go check on my chickens."

Tripfire ambled off after Eret while Valka got ready for the day herself, and they followed breakfast with a gentle morning flight through air that carried the smell of yesterdays storm. They landed on a nearby island where several plants grew wild, many of which they used in salves and medicine for themselves and the dragons. Eret whistled as he carefully selected which ones to take and which to leave to keep the native population of them seeding, smiled when he looked up and saw Valka watching him.

"I know, I know, you're wondering how I can be this handsome and get anything done right?"

"No, I'm wondering how I forgot how irritating you are last night."

Eret cracked up laughing, placing the bundle of rock blossoms into one of Tripfire's saddlebags before he crossed over and kissed Valka soundly.

"I'll help you forget again later, if you like."

And with that he winked and went back to picking plants, spring in his step and sparkle of mischief in his eye. Determined not to let him fluster her, Valka resolutely went about scouting out some special ferns they were low on, feeling Eret's eyes on her the entire time. He was completely ridiculous and she couldn't help but adore him.

Watching him later as he played with baby dragons, Valka was reminded of a comment he'd made back on that island where he was pretending to be her repugnant husband, a world away from the gentle man he really was.

"Eret."

He looked up, baby Nightmare wriggling in his arms for more belly tickles.

"Yeah?"

"There's... something we should talk about."

His head tipped to the side, indicating Valka should sit by him. She did so, felt his fingers lace through hers while the other hand continued pacifying the dragon in his lap.

"What's up?"

"I... well, you are quite a bit younger than I am."

Eret looked confused as he nodded.

"Right..."

"I realise you didn't say it with any real intent back then, but you did comment to that vile creature on the trapper island about _my_ age."

He looked up at the ceiling, Valka's heart beating a nervous rhythm in her chest as he searched his memories before realisation dawned.

"Is this about... are you trying to have the baby talk with me?"

"I... yes."

"Right. Well... I hadn't thought too hard about it until you brought it up, to be honest. But... if you're trying to tell me you think you _are_ too old to have another child" the fact he acknowledged that she already _had_ a child, even in passing, it definitely made Valka adore him all the more than if he pretended her life before the dragons meant nothing "then I'm gonna be straight and say thats probably a good thing."

"Oh?"

He gestured around them, earning a sound of discontent from the dragon in his lap for the cessation of tickles.

"Yeah. I mean, this is no place to try and raise a baby is it? What would we do when there's a big rescue on? It's not like dragons can change them or nurse a kid. And even if it wasn't about that, if I had to pick between having a kid and being with you... I'd choose you."

The way he said it was almost casual, as though Eret wasn't making a pretty heavy statement to someone he'd only been... whatever they were now, for all of a month. Of course, their feelings had been budding away for much longer, but _still..._

"Eret, I..."

He shrugged, smiling.

"You don't have to say anything. Just know that I mean it."

Squeezing her hand, Eret stayed quiet other than to laugh when his little dragon friend wriggled happily with little dragon laughs, enjoying the tummy tickles. Tripfire was napping, else she'd likely have demanded similar treatment from her human friend.

When they retired to bed together again that night, Eret took the news Valka was still feeling a little tender with no complaint and just cuddled her close.

"It's fine, really. You never have to worry about saying no to me, alright?"

Valka nodded, Eret kissing her with a smile before he settled more comfortably in their bed. Cloudjumper stuck his head around the doorway first, seemingly checking he wasn't walking in on anything ( _or was, so he could interrupt_ Valka giggled to herself) before he and a handful of other dragons entered the room to settle down for the night. Tripfire leant over the bed for a final chin scratch from Eret before she suspended herself upside down for sleep.

They were ripped from a peaceful slumber by a very anxious Shovelheim who'd been out scouting, half-asleep but used to rushing into their armour in an emergency. It wasn't _that_ often they had to go on a raid in the middle of the night, as most hunters didn't go dragon trapping in the dark, but some would transport under the cover of a black sky and so there were nights they spent out on rescues to stop them. Eret was rather sweet to watch when half asleep, a little clumsy and stopping to yawn with half his armour on while Tripfire sat ruffling her wings impatiently with her saddle on the floor in front of them. If she could put it on herself, Valka felt sure she'd have mastered it by then.

His dragon grumbled as Eret packed dried meats and water bladders before he put her saddle on, seeing Valka roll her eyes as she waited crouched on Cloudjumper's back.

"Hey, there's a lot more of me than you, and not once have you been mad I remembered snacks for a long flight. C'mon, lets go."

He yawned into his gloved hand as they took off, confident enough to hold his saddle grip one handed even on ascending flights now. The brisk night air shook the residual tiredness from their systems, the energy of an upcoming rescue thrumming as the scouts led them on the trail. Eret's sleepy grousing was replaced by his single-minded intention to help her rescue dragons as they slipped through the night, closing in on the convoy of ships full of dragons.

Eret had come a long way from looking to Valka for instructions and tripping over himself to get to cages. Valka barely had to look his way to know he would be dodging trappers and freeing dragons en masse, jumping over dragon tails without looking down as he disabled a bola-shooter as Valka and Cloudjumper moved past him to free a couple more dragons. He was at her side before Valka even worried for him when she was accosted by hunters, team effort taking the enemy down as Stormcutter fire tore through the deck around them. Satisfied she was alright, Eret disappeared below deck and soon there were dragons bursting through the disintegrating ship deck, free to the sky at last as Eret reappeared.

Mindful claws lifted them bodily from one ship to the next before they repeated their tactics there, sword and staff and scaled companions an effective arsenal that broke free several dozen dragons from cramped cages and tiny cells. Many fled the second their wings felt freedom, but more still stayed to help. Or possibly get revenge. Eret whistled to her, a signal he'd found one too injured to fly and so Valka guided one of their carrier dragons over with her staff, their wordless communication much better than it used to be.

There was soot on his armour when they finally flew away from what was left of the ships, enough dragons liberated that Valka was proud of the dent in the dragon trade they'd made that night. Eret brushed at it and most of it came away, revealing the bright colours beneath that reflected off both he and Tripfire in the moonlight.

He was easily entrusted to handle half the workload of tending to the injured - Eret had handled _all_ of it when Valka was injured herself, though he'd had to ask advice on occasion and then made Cloudjumper keep her from leaving her own rest. They ensured the sick were well tended to afterwards, and only then did Eret pull her close and kiss her deeply, passionately as he held her tight.

"You are incredible, you know that?"

"You are quite something yourself."

Her heart thumped faster in her chest, feeling almost... _giddy_ when Eret looked at her as he did just then, possibly not even aware of just how much Valka marvelled over him.

Eret was a hope she didn't know she'd had; when Valka chose dragons over people, it was with a solid knowledge that she'd never be able to show the truth to another, that humans were just too incapable of change. She didn't know what to do with that hope, not yet, but in Eret she had someone who proved change was _possible_ on some level. And until then, she had... a lover, a _companion_ who enriched her days and her nights just by being there, who challenged and accepted her and who believed as strongly as Valka did that the dragons deserved to be safe and protected, and who was willing to charge into the fray with her.

He was so many things Valka didn't know she needed until she had them, and she was so very thankful Eret had been willing to see that dragons were such wonderful creatures, that he'd had the capacity to fight through the pain that brought him to trapping to begin with, and that he'd been willing to _stay._

-HTTYD-

**Honestly I love these two a whole lot. And Cloudfire.**


	22. Chapter 22

**It's ridiculously warm and it's making me super tired but Valkret is calling to me.**

**Also I know that chapters have been very focused on Valkret and not so much the rest of the world, but it's a delicate balancing act not rushing through time and still being interesting.**

-HTTYD-

Body shaking, Valka bit her lip and felt sweat bead on her skin. She wasn't entirely sure _where_ Eret had learned what he was doing - it certainly hadn't come up in those distant memories of 'wife training' conversations! - but gods, she didn't _care_ by the time his lips and tongue were busy against long-neglected spots. Sex had been something she'd barely thought of for the better part of twenty years, but entering a relationship with a virile, energetic man fifteen years her junior was changing that rather rapidly. Already he seemed to be teaching her things Valka had scarcely known were possible...

Eret came up for air with a lewd smirk on his face, observing Valka as she panted, chest heaving and skin flushed. Valka felt as though it _should_ feel indecent, beyond what she was taught was right as a girl, but then she'd forsaken what was _right_ by those teachings a long time ago. Eret didn't care for her shyness, took her in like he could barely believe his own eyes and touched her like she was a wonderous gift to be appreciated. It was almost unnerving and utterly addictive.

"Not something I thought I'd say, but quiet down or the dragons will think I'm hurting you. Cloudjumper's already looking for a reason to barbecue me."

Was she loud? Valka hadn't really noticed. Eret was rather distracting. His fingers moved and made her jolt, gasping moan leaving her mouth as he continued with those smug, prideful smiles. She bit her lip harder when his tongue resumed wringing exquisite pleasure from her, toes curling and legs twitching as she spasmed around his fingers, clutching his hair and pressing shamelessly against his face until Eret finally let her fall back to the bed, breathless with a rush reminiscent of flying still coursing through her.

Eret moved to wipe his face with the wash bucket kept in their room, then he was crawling back on the bed, knees reddened from where he'd been knelt on the floor to do... whatever it was he'd just done to her. Whatever it was, she liked. A lot.

It left her hypersensitive, every inch of Eret enough to make her shiver as he pulled her onto his lap and lowered her slowly. Feeling almost impossibly _close_ to him like that, her hands on his shoulders and legs wrapped around his hips, his hands cradling her back as they kissed. His body heat at her front contrasted with the faint chill in the air at her back, but it wasn't enough to cool her down.

When Valka first found the unconscious trapper hanging from a dragons claw, she had _never_ expected anything like this. But then, she hadn't thought she could really change anyones mind, and Eret had surprised her there first. Then he'd surprised her again, and again, and _again..._

His hips rolled up in a long, deep thrust, her fingers tightening on his back as amber eyes took in her every response. He had light freckles on his cheeks, likely from all his years out at sea in the sun, and they were only visible quite so close. She ran a finger over his cheeks, crease forming between his eyebrows.

"What are you doing?"

"Drawing shapes in your freckles."

He probably thought her mad, but Eret merely chuckled and let her carry on. Instinct began to override inexperience, Valka's body moving with his guiding hands until it found the right rhythm all on its own, Eret rocking up into her in a way that made her moan and shake, _so_ sensitive to each and every thrust, to his hands and mouth on her skin. Work-roughened fingers dragged down her spine, making her shiver all over.

Eret's love of touching her didn't abate when they were done; he stroked her sweaty body gently, soft smile on his face. Her own fingers slid down his chest, tracing the lines of his scar. She saw the effort it took him not to recoil from that touch, them both acknowledging his past as his _past,_ forging a new future together. When he pulled her close Valka went, humming as he kissed her before reluctantly pulling away.

"We should go take a bath before the dragons come demanding we go flying."

He nodded, chuckling.

"I _reall_ _y_ wouldn't put it past Tripfire to try and drag me out flying while starkers."

"Nor would I."

They pulled minimal layers on to make the trip down to where they bathed, rather than feel the chill on bare bodies for even the fairly short walk. Their shared bathtime had become quite regular, and truthfully Valka _adored_ it for the simple intimacy. Clean and dressed, they ate a couple of apples before the dragons would be denied their flying no longer. Eret watched as Valka skipped and jumped from dragon to dragon, laughing fromhis saddle while Tripfire had her tongue lolling out in the updrafts.

"So, we still going raiding tomorrow?"

"Unless you're not up to it?"

Eret shook his head, then grinned.

"You know me, give me a sword and point me at the enemy."

They spent the evening preparing and got a good nights sleep, and then they were preparing for a big haul - she was reticent, but Valka knew that taking the Alpha gave them a huge advantage in a firefight, and she also couldn't really stop him if he wanted to come. He only listened to Valka up to a point; she did not _control_ him in any way. They just trusted each other and worked together. Still, she was so very wary of letting him leave when they knew Drago had his own Bewilderbeast just waiting...

Bubbles popping on the surface of the ocean below were all the indication they got of the beast below, but despite his size the Alpha was more than capable of keeping pace from below the water.

It was hard not to look for Eret, to worry if he was in over his head despite _knowing_ he was perfectly capable, because she cared so very much for him now and that made it all the harder to just let him dive in to such a fray. He wasn't yet used to battling alongside the Bewilderbeast either, and Valka heard a scream that said there was a narrow miss with the jets of icy breath but when she turned, Eret was climbing up onto Tripfire and completely unharmed, though probably a little shaken. She turned back just in time to knock a hunter to the ground.

Holding her breath as she slipped around a corner to look for more dragons - the base they were on was just _covered_ in cages - Valka heard a group of hunters talking, preparing.

"Which one do we go for? The runaway or the vigilante?"

"Drago wants the runaway alive!"

"But he said he'd pay more for the vigilantes head!"

She had to bite back a laugh; Drago was getting desperate if he'd gone to the trouble of putting a bounty on the head of someone _nobody_ knew the face of save Eret, who was unlikely to betray such a secret now he was firmly on her side.

"So we'll get 'em both! Alive or dead, he won't mind much."

Given how badly Drago wanted to murder Eret himself as an example to anyone else who thought about switching sides, Valka doubted that entirely but wasn't about to stop mid-battle to correct them. Gesturing to Cloudjumper behind her, her dragons fire made short work of the group, who scattered nursing nasty burns seconds later. It freed the way to find more cages, free more dragons. Cloudjumper picked up the wounded Nadder they found and deposited it on one of their carrier dragons, then swooped back down to help Valka break open more cages. Eret was nowhere to be seen, but she caught Tripfire hovering near a gap in the ground and assumed he'd gone down below to check for hidden cells. Sure enough, the stone around the hole cracked and gave way to freed dragons.

The Bewilderbeast finished destroying the fort, ensuring those who had survived the raid couldn't continue living there unless they wanted to pick apart the stubborn shards and rebuild the entire thing from scratch. Climbing up on Cloudjumper's back, he circled, looking for Tripfire. She was still without Eret, and Valka was growing concerned. Glancing around, she was high enough not to be easily seen so she lifted her helmet and whistled loudly, hoping Eret would answer.

There was an answering noise that Tripfire dove toward, roaring in distress before rising with Eret clutched in her talons, limp and holding his hands to his side. They took off from the island before Tripfire dropped Eret on Cloudjumper's back, pale under his helmet and she could smell the blood on him. Thankful for having the _room_ to look him over on Cloudjumper's back, she pushed his helmet off and threw it to Tripfire, who caught it in her mouth and tried to decide between looking where she was flying and staring at Eret.

"Take them back, we'll catch up."

Valka signalled to a few of her nest, before looking for somewhere to land where she could tend to Eret. He was coming to a little by the time they hit ground, and when she pulled away his armour she found a jagged wound at his side, someone's lucky shot in the narrow gap between chest and shoulder armour.

"Eret?"

"Valka? What's... wow, I am in pain."

"You will be. How are you otherwise?"

"Kinda groggy. Where's Tripfire? Is she ok? Did we finish the island?"

"We did, and Tripfire is fine, she's right here."

He only carried basics in his saddlebag, but Valka managed to clean and bandage his side up enough to get him back to the nest, though she watched him on his saddle pretty much the entire flight back, concerned he might lose consciousness and slip off. They made it back with no more incident, and Eret stubbornly insisted she check on the dragons before she worried for him.

"There's a lot of them, I promise not to move. Go."

Valka wondered if it would be unfair to try and smack sense into someone wounded. He got himself into so many scrapes, and honestly Valka was certain he had gotten injured far more often than she had in her first year or so. He could be very logical and thoughtful when he wanted, and other times he was just an oversized idiot she adored.

He hadn't deteriorated in the moments she'd been with the dragons, instead leaning against Tripfire's belly for warmth as he seemed to be cold - not uncommon for someone who had lost blood in a battle. Valka built up the fire, washed dragon blood off her hands and pulled the crate of healing supplies over with her. Tripfire watched on as Valka peeled off his torn, bloodied tunic and the makeshift bandage, Eret hissing and wincing but managing to stay still as he laid on his side.

"I don't think you need stitches, which is good because you are better at them than me. You'll have to get up for me to dress your wound properly though."

Groaning, Eret let Valka help lift him up, balancing on his knees and raising his arms with a grimace enough for her to wrap the bandage tight around his middle. He mixed his own herbs for healing as he sat by the fire, but then he was reaching for her and beckoning her to his uninjured side. Valka went, letting her heart calm slightly now she'd seen to his wound as best she could.

His face was a little clammy with sweat from the fight and flight and fire, but Valka minded it little when he pressed his lips to her hair, squeezed her gently.

"For what it's worth, I don't care how many times I get hurt. I won't regret choosing you and the dragons."

Nodding, Valka turned her head so she could kiss him softly, ignoring the bitter taste of brewed herbs on his lips.

"Try not to get hurt. I'm already going grey."

Eret actually laughed, though it obviously pained him slightly but the smile returned.

"I'd say it's more like silver, and I like it."

They sat and smiled at each other for a while by the fire, bouyed by the successful raid and being together. Eret tired rather early after an easy dinner - stew that he mixed but let Valka dice and stir - but that was to be expected, and they pushed a few furs and pillows up against the wall at the side of the bed, so he'd not roll on to his back in his sleep. Valka laid at his front to keep him safe that way, relieved to feel the warmth of his body heat, the steady thrum of his heart beneath her hand. He fell asleep in minutes, watched over by a wary Tripfire until she seemed content he was alright and she calmed enough to hop up and hang herself for the night.

Eret's steady breathing slowly drew Valka toward slumber, much as she wanted to watch over him all night to ensure he was alright. Closing her eyes, Valka turned slightly more into Eret's warmth and pulled the blanket over herself a little higher before she accepted the weight of sleep.

-HTTYD-

**Next chapter will have new characters!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Bring on the chapter, woooo.**

-HTTYD-

Caldera Cay was somewhere they'd visited a few times by then, but it was the first time they were visiting since his and Valka's relationship had tipped from simply friends to friends and lovers. Eret hoped Mala didn't hit him, remembering her threats to be careful with Valka before.

Valka got a hug in greeting from Mala, while Eret got the usual warning look from Throk, and Tripfire got a chin tickle and some sage fruit.

Well, it was much better than being threatened with swords, and after everything he'd done that gave them cause to doubt him, Eret was willing to put in the time to earn their full trust. Tripfire tottered back over to Eret, grinning dopily with the sagefruit taste and he knew soon she would be very relaxed. They headed off toward where they could sit and talk, catching up on things like Drago's campaign - currently a couple of days sailed south, meaning they were safe to leave the nest for more than a rescue. They wouldn't stay long, but it was worth catching up with their ally.

"We've been busier than usual lately."

Mala raised an eyebrow, and Eret immediately felt self-aware of how close he and Valka were sitting to each other.

"Yes, I imagine you have."

Valka stiffened next to him, and Eret did his best not to immediately reach and comfort her. They hadn't decided to _hide_ it from Mala, but they weren't broadcasting their relationship either. They were new, really, and Valka was wary. Eret had no plans on going anywhere, but he understood that there was an adjustment period when it came to life outside their rather secluded mountain haven. So Eret tried to steer the conversation solidly on to Drago.

"Think he's gone to argue with the people who pay him, after we ruined a bunch of his operations and cost him money."

Valka joined him.

"Yes, well ruining his day _is_ a good way to pass the time."

Mala hummed, took a sip from her cup and Eret got the feeling Mala saw right through any air of we-are- _just-_ friends the two presented. Still, they continued on.

"I would say disrupting any hunters day is a worthy use of time. Is it not almost mating season for your dragons though?"

"Almost, a couple of the early birds have gone off to find nesting spots but we're only here a little while. We gotta get back before, well..."

Eret gestured toward Tripfire and Cloudjumper. One (Cloudjumper) definitely seemed more aware of the upcoming season than the other, though from the knowledge Valka had of Stormcutters, Tripfire would carry her eggs for a couple of months before she laid them, and then they would hatch within a week after that. That was more common for larger dragon breeds, apparently. Even now, he was still learning more almost every day.

Of course, with Tripfire being... _Tripfire,_ Eret wouldn't have been surprised if she intentionally avoided Cloudjumper again for that particular time of year. He wasn't sure how keen she was on carrying eggs. Not that he knew what that was like, but it was probably uncomfortable at some point. Pregnant women had certainly said so when he was growing up.

"Ah, yes. The hesitation is gone, then?"

"Looks that way. She doesn't seem to be threaening to rip off his wings and stuff him with them, at least. And none of his gifts to her have been set on fire in weeks!"

Some of the Defenders laughed, having seen some of the dragon antics on their previous visits. It was definitely a lot less tense when Tripfire wasn't threatening to burn Cloudjumper where he stood if he got too close.

"Have you had much trouble?"

"A few hunters have gotten too close, and I am quite sure they would regret that choice if they were still alive to do so."

It was easy to forget sometimes, with her elegant posture and eloquent voice, that Mala was absolutely a lethal fighter with a lifetime of physical training and the fire to defend an entire island as their leader. Until she calmly dropped the death of hunters into conversation, brushing a speck of dirt from her leather bottoms with no flicker of distress at the notion of killing to protect her people and their dragon protector.

He certainly had a healthy amount of wariness when it came to Mala's opinion of whatever went on between he and Valka. Mala was protective of her friend, having been one of scant few humans Valka even interacted with, and one of even fewer out of _choice_ rather than necessity. Plus, they bonded years before over dragon-saving, while Eret was the convert still proving himself.

Dinner and darkening skies caught them up before they were done talking all things Drago and dragon hunters, and Mala crossed her arms loosely as she looked to Valka and Eret.

"Your usual accomodations? Or lack of, I suppose."

Eret looked to Valka, and it was probably a giveaway. They hadn't even talked about sleeping arrangements on Caldera Cay.

"Perhaps we should stay indoors tonight, those two do love their late night flights together now."

As though that was that, Valka got up and headed over to check on Cloudjumper. Mala watched her go, small smirk on her mouth before she turned to Throk, who was rarely far from her side.

"Find them somewhere for the night Throk."

"Yes, my Queen."

Eret wondered if he ever called her anything else. Or if that got annoying. He and Valka had exchanged names pretty early on, for ease of communication but then they weren't speaking in deference to a leader then...

"Far away from my quarters. I would like to get _some_ sleep tonight."

Throk stared after Mala, and Eret did the same after hearing her mutter that. Had she _really_ just... Throk turned and threw Eret an unreadable look, then quickly followed after Mala. Eret sat there unsure what had just transpired before him, and Valka eventually returned with Tripfire in tow who looked keen to give Eret several licks before she took off to fly with Cloudjumper.

"Hey girl, let me get your saddle off."

She'd been so keen to get to the sage fruit, Eret hadn't had the chance, but she didn't need it for flying without him. He rubbed where the straps had sat to make sure she wasn't itchy, smiling as Tripfire cooed happily before she turned to nuzzle him.

Eret relayed Mala's quiet comment, and Valka's wide-eyed reaction was amusing.

"She's _far_ too observant for her own good."

"Honestly, I'm mostly relieved she seems to know and hasn't tried to gut me."

Valka tsked and rolled her eyes, butt she had a smile fighting to come up on her face soon enough, a smile he was utterly lost on. Gods how he adored this woman.

Throk cleared his throat loudly, interrupting their silent staring and gestured for them to follow him. Eret hefted Tripfire's saddle over one shoulder and collected his armour in the other, Valka bringing her own and grabbing the nearby water bladder to take with them. Tripfire and Cloudjumper roared in their direction before taking off, and Eret supposed that was goodnight from them before their flight. Valka explained that dragons nearing mating season often had extra energy, possibly to prepare for winning mates or caring for eggs and then babies.

The hut Throk showed them to was sparse, but functional. Their bed frame and the small table and chairs were all carved and shaped and decorated like the other Defenders furniture, the walls kept the elements out and the torch on the wall was lit to fill the room with warm, flickering lights.

"Thank you Throk."

"Of course, Miss Valka. Good night."

The one bed kind of said it all, Eret mused. They weren't far from the nearest bathroom either, so despite the awkward sense of "well, they definitely know don't they?" they were getting, Eret reckoned they had done alright. The bed didn't even look booby-trapped.

They stacked their respective armours carefully against one wall, Eret resting his saddle nearby before he pulled his tunic off; whether they only went to sleep or not, he rarely slept in it. He didn't feel so compelled to hide his scar anymore, with Valka so clearly accepting the mark of his past. He felt the newest scar on his side pull slightly as his arm extended over his head, but it had healed well and scars usually loosened eventually.

Valka left for the bathroom, and Eret took a swallow of water before he fussed with the furs and blankets on the bed until it resembled the nest of warmth he and Valka often slept amidst back home. He heard her come back, but didn't get time to turn around before she was hugging his back, humming softly as she squeezed him around the middle.

"Coming to bed?"

He asked as he turned when she let him go, and Valka nodded with a smile before she sat on the edge of the bed to take off her boots and leggings. Eret kicked off his own, pulled off his socks and wriggled newly freed toes before he turned with every intent of burrowing amongst the bedding. It wasn't cold out that night, but a bed warmed to skin was hard to beat.

Well, a bed warmed to skin in which he was holding Valka was pretty much impossible to beat.

"You can wear my spare tunic if you forgot to bring nightwear."

Eret commented as he saw her slowing to undress herself, possibly knowing she had nothing else to put on once her bindings came off for the night. She smiled and thanked him, retrieved it from the saddlebag and Eret smiled in turn when it fell down her body. Their heights were similar, but he was a fair bit broader and it hung just past her hips, baggy on her slender frame. After the multiple times his clothes had been damaged in fights or captivity, Eret had learned; take a spare.

He doused the torch once Valka was in bed, and promptly banged his knee on the frame finding it in the dark. Valka stifled a giggle, but they were practiced enough in sleepy cuddles to find each other once he was in the bed with her despite the darkness.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll live, despite my _terrible_ injury."

Eret didn't need to see to _know_ Valka was rolling her eyes.

* * *

Valka was almost asleep herself, and Eret was lightly dozing nearby. They'd been on watch for hours now, and it was almost dawn but without the rush and need of a battle to keep them alert, both were feeling the late night.

Something rattled.

"Eret!"

He jerked upright with a grunt, looking around with an imaginary sword held out.

"Whazzit?"

Shaking her head at him, Valka pointed to where Tripfire was nudging her eggs toward the pool. Cloudjumper was _beside_ _himself_ with excitement, and had been every single day since Tripfire had begun to show signs of egg-carrying. When those eggs were finally laid, two sizeable purple-blue shells with bumps on the sides and a ridged band around the middle, Cloudjumper had been hard-pressed to leave the nest until Tripfire sent him to bring her food. She'd left for a couple of flights while he watched the eggs, but the soon-to-be-mother dragon had been relatively glued to her nest for all the days there were eggs in it.

It was lucky they hadn't had any serious rescue runs to make, as Eret was nowhere near as skilled flying other dragons and his well-adjusted saddle only really fit a Stormcutter, so he'd had to go without after so long with one. They both knew it was worth any inconvenience; their family was hopefully about to grow!

Eret sat up straighter, rubbing his eyes and twitching a little himself as he realised what was happening.

"Is it time?"

"It looks that way."

The water rippled along the top, both Stormcutters peering over anxiously. There were two brilliant flashes of light, water disturbed and displaced but absorbing the explosion as intended, before they all waited on tenterhooks until one, then two horned heads broke the surface of the pool, clumsily flinging water until Tripfire leant down and pulled them out one by one, Cloudjumper practically dancing and ruffling his wings as they squeaked and wailed up at their mother.

"Oh my gods, look!"

"I know!"

One was a gorgeous midnight blue, a more uniform colouring than Valka expected for a female Stormcutter - she'd seen the lacking protrusions on their face already - and the other bore several shades of pink, ranging from dark over the bones of their wings to the soft pink of the wing membranes and the tips of their horn.. Tripfire licked them both, then looked over at the watching humans as though saying "look what I made" with her joyful face.

"Can we come say hi Tripfire?"

She seemed to think about it for a moment, but nodded. As they headed over, Cloudjumper was snuffling curiously at the pink hatchling before making noises at his mate. Tripfire made a sound that immediately had Cloudjumper back up a bit, and Eret laughed.

"That's my girl!"

Valka knew what had Cloudjumper confused as they got closer, seeing the fairly stubby but certainly-there protrusions on the face of the pink baby Stormcutter. They knelt down and held hands out to let the babies get their scent, and it took little time at all (and a nod from Tripfire) for the hatchlings to tumble clumsily over toward them. With their big, heavy heads and four wings to learn to control, they weren't the most graceful of babes but Valka's heart swelled with love when tiny tongues began lapping at their hands, exploring the brand new world with as many senses as they could.

"Their colourings are remarkable, and quite unique."

"Really?"

Eret asked, already giving small, excited strokes to the night-coloured baby trying to clamber up his body but failing to understand how to grip with their wing claws just yet.

"Indeed. For starters, such a fully dark coat is very uncommon in any Stormcutter. And here" Valka held the wriggling hatchling up "we have a brightly coloured boy. Male Stormcutters are often more plain-coloured, with their colourful markings concentrated. Like Cloudjumper, his colours are largely concentrated on his spines and his head. And Tripfire is very bright, but she has lots of colours available. So these two are quite unique."

"Huh. Awesome. You did good Tripfire, they're adorable!"

Tripfire preened, bumped her head on Eret's gently but it was enough to distract the babes, who immediately turned and began tripping over themselves to get back to their mother. Valka gestured to Cloudjumper, who got the message and dived from their spot, returning with fish in his mouth a minute later. Tripfire chowed down on them, then brought up the softened, mushy mess her newly hatched offspring could get down them.

"That's so gross, but it is effective."

"Quite. Come on Eret, let's give them a little time. Come home when you're ready you two."

"I'll make baby beds for them!"

Eret added, grinning. Valka wasn't surprised. He liked to make things.

"So, what should we call 'em, do you think?"

He asked as they climbed down from the nesting area, some of the dragons who had a different season altogether waiting patiently to fly them back to the mountain'; it wasn't far, but there was a lot of icy ocean to cross and dragon-back was by far the safest way to go.

They considered names back and forth all the way through Eret making baby beds full of small and soft cosy blankets, adding pillows for the small dragons big heads, and then some more through his cooking breakfast to perk them up a bit.

They'd settled on ideas when the Stormcutter parents returned, smaller heads popping up over the horns of larger, parent heads in a rather adorable way. It was one of those moments Valka wished she could freeze and re-visit, look at it exactly as it was for years to come.

"So, blue girl here is..."

Eret indicated one, though it was unnecessary when the little ones looked quite so different.

"Alva."

"Right. Hey there Alva. That makes you, little bright boy, Vali."

Not entirely sure what names were and how they worked yet, the conversation earned them no real comprehension from either Alva or Vali, but they did get more cuddles and nosy exploration of the area all around them. Eret showed them to their beds, and both promptly fell asleep - the wrong way round, tails curled over the pillows, but the spirit was there.

Valka was especially warmed when she looked at Cloudjumper, who looked like the world had answered all his wishes at once. After so many years alone, never finding another like him, Cloudjumper had seemed as resolved as Valka to them having each other and their work and nothing else.

Until Eret crashed into her life, and was adopted by the fiesty Stormcutter female who _eventually_ came around to becoming Cloudjumper's mate. And now... now there were _babies_ running around, and Cloudjumper had never looked happier. Valka had Eret - she had love, support, a new little family of sorts.

Valka spared a minute to think of Hiccup again, imagining a skinny, slightly clumsy little boy with messy hair and scuffed knees tottering around with the baby Stormcutters. It was an impossible fantasy, but it was the sort of life Valka wished she could have given her son if only Berk had been willing to listen.

But they hadn't.

Eret nudged her, brushing a stray tear from her cheek.

"You alright?"

She nodded, and she meant it. Valka would always miss her son. And she found her mind drifting that way more often since she took up with Eret, his presence living proof people _could_ change their mind with the right push. Not that Valka expected there were many Tripfire-sized nudges in the right direction kicking around, but still he gave her hope.

-HTTYD-

**I never said the new characters would be _human._ Alva and Vali were named by Corona a couple of months ago, and as she was so very integral to this story ever coming to life, I promised myself I'd keep them in when this time arrived.**


	24. Chapter 24

**The response to this story keeps making me smile, so much cute love for Valkret!**

-HTTYD-

"Alva, that's mine!"

Valka tried not to laugh as Eret chased the little dragon, who had claimed his best spoon as a toy and was running off to enjoy it. Tripfire watched on, amused, while Cloudjumper looked a little more resigned as his baby son claimed daddy's tail as something to gnaw on. They didn't have teeth yet, but Vali complained if Cloudjumper tried to stop him.

There were baby dragons all over the mountain, but as the only Stormcutters, and the only two permanent reptile residents of Valka and Eret's sleeping quarters, Tripfire and Cloudjumper's offspring spent the most time with them. They were adorable, sweet little critters, but they were definitely cheeky, energetic and mischievous on top of that. Valka adored watching them develop, personalities shining through already - if he wasn't getting food or affection from mama, Vali was usually attached to papa Cloudjumper. Unless he wanted a belly tickle, in which case he clambered all over Valka and Eret clumsily, chirping and wiggling.

They were still finding their feet, as proved by Alva tumbling over, dropping Eret's spoon in the process. She began to wail, more upset than hurt. Eret had retrieved his spoon, but one look at the saddened baby dragon had him melting. He picked her up, checking her for injuries before holding out the spoon.

"Hey, don't cry Alva. You can have it. Just be careful not to swallow it, or get a splinter."

Thrilled, Alva licked his face before snapping up the spoon and tottering over to her bed, gummy-gnawing away happily. Eret watched her with a fond smile, wiping his face.

"Like mother, like daughter."

His gaze turned to Valka, thoughtful and pensive.

"What is it?"

"Just thinking. All this" he gestured to where their Stormcutter family were "and my being here to see it... none of it would have happened without you. These two were born cus you gave me a chance. I just... thank you."

She supposed he was right - if Valka hadn't let him stay, Tripfire wouldn't have had the time to come around to Cloudjumper, for them to bond and mate and for her to lay and hatch the two babies. All because she'd had just enough Viking stubbornness left in her to _try_ and show him the truth.

"Well, you are more than welcome."

Eret got up and crossed over to where she was sat, kissed her soundly. Her heart fluttered in her chest as he pecked a second kiss on her nose, grinning.

"I gotta go feed my chickens, won't be long."

He headed off, left Valka watching Alva and Vali, a little purple Scuttleclaw ambling in and immediately heading to Valka for a scratch under the chin. Vali seemed torn between staying with Cloudjumper and chasing off the competition for Valka's affections.

"Oh, don't worry my little love, you aren't forgotten."

She'd barely stood after the Scuttleclaw spotted their mother and scampered off before Eret's arms were around her waist, his face pressing into her hair as he held her, murmuring softly to her.

 _"What_ did you say?"

Valka turned, not sure she'd definitely heard what she thought she'd heard.

"I said... I love you. I've known it a while but just never said it, but I was thinking how much you changed my life, changed _me,_ and I just had to tell you."

Blinking, reeling, Valka still found her answer easily enough as she took Eret's hands, drew him closer.

"I love you too, you impossible man."

They had been... _this_ for months by then, and with Hiccup's birthday not too far away, that would also be around the time she and Eret had acknowledged there was more than friendship between them for a full year. But both had a complicated relationship with love in their past, and while Valka had known she loved him for a while, they'd never spoken it aloud until then.

"Well, I suppose I am one of a kind."

Tsking, Valka rolled her eyes but kissed him anyway. He was ridiculous, and she loved him all the more for it.

"Have you finished making a temporary saddle for Gustnudger?"

Until Alva and Vali were big enough to be left alone, it was accepted that at least one Stormcutter would need to stay behind if the humans had a raid or rescue to go on, and Eret and Valka agreed that Cloudjumper's many more years of experience on said rescues meant he was the more logical choice to take with. Which meant Eret needed a new dragon to fly in the interim, and Gustnudger had volunteered.

"Almost. Just need to tweak it so it's comfortable for him and take it on a test flight" there was a grumble nearby "Tripfire, it's not permanent! But you can't leave the kids and there are still dragons to rescue."

Tripfire continued to grizzle until Vali stumbled over to her, still working out how to walk with his wings and balance his large head. He nuzzled his mother dragon, letting out little chirps and coos until she nuzzled him in turn. It was such a sweet sight, and Valka enjoyed it all the more with the reassuring weight of Eret at her back, his arm around her as they watched their little family.

"We should go check on the nurseries, make sure the mothers all have enough food and water."

"Yeah. We won't be long guys."

Excitable baby dragons galore, there were pockets of them all over the mountain - some species flocked together and helped parent as a pack over multiple sets of hatchlings, while others kept their own babies to themselves but grouped in either species or similar dragon classes. Very few parented completely alone - Cloudjumper and Tripfire not included, as they were the only dragons to be a solo family of their species, and also two of the biggest dragons in the nest.

Eret carted barrels of fish around and told Valka she was welcome to swoon over his strength anytime, for which she threw water at him and pointed out she had managed just fine without him for several hatching seasons before.

"In my defence, when you first started all this I was only five."

Valka frowned. He was right.

"Oh. When you put it like that I feel like a real cradle robber."

"Hey" Eret put down the barrels and crossed over to her, pulled Valka to her feet "I told you, your age doesn't bother me. And I'm no child now. Besides, you were ten years younger than your husband, did anyone call _him_ a cradle robber?"

Valka shook her head, let Eret hold her close. He was right about all of that too - he was certainly a grown man, and she had definitely been quite a bit younger than Stoick, not out of her teens when they wed.

"Come on, hungry dragons wait for nothing."

She chuckled, felt Eret squeeze her gently and kiss her temple.

"Very true."

With Alva and Vali constantly inhabiting their quarters now, Eret had to be a little more creative in his _reassurances_ about how little Valka's age concerned him, and Valka would have been _lying_ if she didn't confess at least to herself how it thrilled her when he securely supported her weight when he pressed her into a wall. She felt younger, giddy with the rush of it as they didn't bother undressing properly, just stripping Valka of her leggings as Eret untied his bottoms, fingers teasing her to wetness with little effort; her want for him awoke easily and often it took almost no time at all for Eret to arouse her. He was hard when her hand sought him, hips twitching to thrust in to her grip as they stroked each other.

Her legs tightened around his stocky hips, the fabric of his tunic clenched between her teeth as Valka sought to quiet herself so the dragons wouldn't overhear them, Eret panting and grunting into her neck with each thrust. Hot and hasty ruts in alcoves were surely things young women did, and Valka was no young woman but Eret made her _feel_ like one, left her giggling into his shoulder when it was over, and still his hands did not falter in holding her.

"Didn't hurt your back on the wall, did you?"

Eret asked as he took a step away, letting her down gently in case her legs wouldn't hold her. She stumbled a little as her weak knees shook, but Eret was there to hold her steady.

"No no, I'm fine. That was... unexpected."

"Yeah, well, unless you want the kids to interrupt it was this or hope none of them walked in on us in the bath again."

She laughed again at the reminder, looking up from steaming water to find big yellow eyes on them all too familiar an occurrence - privacy was a luxury when they were the only humans in a nest of dragons.

"I never said it was unwelcome."

"True. We should get back before Tripfire decides to come looking for us. You know she would, little one in tow."

"Oh, definitely."

Valka located Gustnudger so Eret could finish adjusting his saddle before dinner, and then Eret sat carving himself a new spoon since he was unlikely to get his other one back, and even more unlikely to get it back in a useable state since Alva had decided it was a chew toy. Vali was napping in his little bed, but Alva was nested happily in the middle of the human bed, blankets pulled around her and Eret's spoon next to her.

"It's a good thing you're cute little miss. If we had blue blankets, we might not even be able to find her."

"Indeed, but she'll have excellent camouflage on a stormy night."

"Meanwhile Vali is gonna have to fly at dawn to blend in, but at least we knew as soon as he hatched that he wanted to be centre of attention."

Valka chuckled, nodding as she looked over Vali's colouring.

"I wonder where he gets that from."

Cloudjumper huffed happily as Valka scratched him lightly, rubbing his face against hers gently. Tripfire was nudging Eret more insistently, and dragged her own saddle over to him.

"Is that a hint?"

"Go ahead, she could do with stretching her wings. Cloudjumper and I will watch the babes."

"You sure? Alright then, you're done anyway Gustnudger, thanks" the Windgnasher grumbled happily, trotting off "dinner has half hour to cook yet anyway, so we can go for a little flight girl."

Eret bent down to kiss Valka before he hoisted the saddle up on Tripfire's back, buckled her in and waited for her to check on the baby dragons again before he hopped up and they headed out. Cloudjumper watched his mate leave with a small pout, but Valka reminded him Tripfire needed a little fresh air now and then, and he soon calmed down when Valka rubbed his scaled belly. Vali woke in time to see that, sleepily tumbling his way over to demand similar treatment. Valka smiled as she picked him up, watching his little wings flap happily as she tickled him.

"Oh you are so very sweet little one."

Vali opted to continue his nap on her lap, effectively trapping her with his cuteness. She was still like that when a brighter Tripfire and Eret returned, both looking amused at her 'predicament'. Eret checked dinner quickly, nodding to himself as he gave the stew a stir before he took off Tripfire's saddle and tossed her some jerky.

"Good flight?"

"Awesome. Thanks, we needed it."

"Of course. They'll be big enough for us to take on short flights as passengers soon, so nobody gets stir-crazy."

Eret lit up.

"Aw, that will be awesome!"

He put fish down for Tripfire and Cloudjumper, and an extra bowl of fish for Tripfire to feed the babies with - up out of hungry little ones reach - before he ladled stew into bowls and quickly warmed up the flatbreads, Tripfire retrieving a protesting, sleepy Vali from Valka's lap so she could get herself some dinner. She found herself watching Eret a lot, chewing his food with a smile on his face as he watched the dragons. Even if Valka weren't happier than she ever thought she could have been, his contentment with their strange little life was contagious, and she spooned stew into her mouth with a smile to match his.

"Oh, before I forget" Eret got up after he was finished, digging through one of the trunks nearby "I got you a... Snoggletog, did you call it? gift when I went to get more chicken feed."

Valka still wore the gloves he made her last year, comfortable and warm and practical.

"Oh?"

He headed over and presented her with a bundle of high quality parchment, eyes soft as Valka looked up at him. It was _lovely,_ but she was a little confused as to why he'd gone for something Valka so rarely used, when they had a fair bit of normal writing stuff around anyway.

"I know it's almost your sons birthday, and that you write to him about your year. It's been a busy year, I thought you might have a lot to say."

_Oh._

Valka swallowed around a sudden lump in her throat, emotions swelling in her chest.

"Thank you."

Her voice cracked a little, and she felt tears well up slightly. Confusion had faded to a much sharper feeling, amazed at just how _thoughtful_ a gift it was. Eret dropped to his knees next to her, mindful not to crush the parchment as he let her hold him, leaning back to wipe her tears and kiss her forehead.

"I didn't mean to make you cry. Please don't be sad."

"I'm not sad. Just... a little overwhelmed. You never stop surprising me."

Eret smiled.

"And I hope I never will. That would be boring."

Despite her tears, Valka found herself laughing.

-HTTYD-

**Couldn't have babycutters and not have a family fluff chapter, right?**


	25. Chapter 25

**Must... resist... urge...**

**Seriously, I could write forever about baby dragons, especially babycutters! But I won't. They'll undoubtedly play a big role cus, well, they live in the same room. But I will try and remember to story too.**

-HTTYD-

With Alva nestled securely in his lap, Eret smiled as the baby cooed excitedly on their flight. It was a gentle glide, but first times in the sky had been exhilirating for him (after the panic), and Alva seemed equally enamoured. Vali seemed just as happy in Valka's arms on Cloudjumper's back.

"Having fun little lady?"

Alva chirped, wiggling her tail happily so that it banged off each of Eret's legs, but she was so happy there was no way he'd chide her for it. They were getting bigger already, but from what Valka had said, it would be a few _years_ before they were the same size as their parents. Eret knew it ranged from six months to two years for most dragons, but Stormcutters were a pretty big species, so maybe a little longer made sense.

They'd be flying on their own within a couple of weeks, though _supervised_ by their parents and unlikely to be able to go for very long. Eret was still excited to see it, adoring every moment of watching them grow.

When they got back, Valka was oddly quiet for a few minutes, fussing with little things like the paperweights on the desk Eret had built - reading maps on the floor when there were baby dragons interested in _everything_ was hard! - before she turned to him.

"Eret, I... would you mind if I asked for some time alone?"

"Sure, but is everything alright?"

She nodded, looking toward the desk again.

"I... I wanted to write to Hiccup."

"Oh. Right. Sure, we'll give you some privacy" he hugged her gently, kissed her to reassure Valka he didn't feel slighted "you want Cloudjumper here with you?"

She nodded again. Eret turned to the others.

"Come on you two, me and your mom will take you to play and get you some lunch. We'll be outside Valka, take all the time you need."

Alva and Vali agreeably let Eret pick them up, though Vali immediately climbed up to sit on Eret's head and Alva huffed at her brother, but they didn't start squabbling as Eret and Tripfire made their way outside the nest to their little island patch outside.

"Come on kids, I'm gonna show you the ocean!"

His mind kept wandering back, hoping Valka was alright, but it was still very sweet to see the babies hesitantly letting the water wash over their feet, scuttling back in surprise before sniffing and exploring, curious about the strange liquid. Vali got water up in his nose plates and sneezed, wailing in shock at Tripfire who soothed her son before joining them in splashing her feet, showing them it was ok.

Glancing back, Eret headed back in toward the mountain - his vegetable patch was close, open enough to get some sun but covered to protect it from the frost. The ash from Caldera Cay had definitely helped, and there was a decent crop of some of his plants promised by the way they grew. When he got back, Alva and Vali were flapping and hopping around, Tripfire flying a few feet away before diving down into the water. They soon calmed when she came back with food for them, and now they'd seen it wasn't so bad, they enjoyed splashing around more.

Tripfire dropped fish at Eret's feet next, looking up at him expectantly.

"We've had this conversation, I can't eat _raw_ fish. If you want, I'll build a fire to cook them."

Seeming offended still, Tripfire huffed while Eret grabbed some bits of driftwood and dead grass, building a little set up. Before he could ask Tripfire to light them, she ruffled her wings in that way he knew meant only one thing, turning to see Cloudjumper landing with Valka on his back. He could see her eyes were red, felt her arms wind around him tightly and did his best to hug her as comfortingly as possible.

"You alright?"

"Yes, yes. Just... emotional."

"I get it. Well, I try."

Wiping at her face, Valka looked around.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I showed Alva and Vali the ocean. Tripfire tried to get me to eat raw fish, and I was just about to put a fire on so I don't get sick, because Tripfire won't let me not eat them."

Laughing lightly, Valka hugged him tight again before circling around him to greet the babies, clearly cheering already. Eret smiled at them, kneeling down to make sure the fire was assembled. Alva sniffed at the pile, grass irritating her nose until she sneezed and, to everyones surprise but hers most of all, a little bit of flame came out too.

Well, he didn't have to ask Tripfire now.

"Hey, look at that!"

As they sat around the fire, cooking fish and just quietly basking in each others company, Eret compared it to the year before, when Valka had first tearily admitted she was a mother, told him how she ended up the woman he met over a decade after being taken, cried on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. They'd certainly come a very long way since then.

* * *

Eret was usually a pretty sound, dead-to-the-world sleeper. So when Valka woke to his violent twitching and low whimpers, it raised immediate concerns for her. And Tripfire, who was already stirring to right herself from ceiling to ground.

"Light the fire for me so I can see?"

It was a glowing ember by then, enough for Tripfire to revive a little so Valka could shake her lover until he woke.

"Eret!"

He jerked, gasping, clutching his chest and when he opened his eyes, they were wild and unfocused for several seconds before he seemed to realise where he was.

"V... Valka?"

His face was clammy with sweat as she stroked him, trying to calm Eret down as little tremors ran through his limbs. The noise had roused the baby dragons too, who pulled themselves up on to the bed to investigate. Eret seemed stunned by their presence for a moment, but soon enough Valka felt the tension leech from his body, one hand reaching out to stroke Vali's pink scales.

"Sorry. I don't usually get nightmares."

"It's fine. Happens to us all."

She kissed his sweaty forehead, turning to pour him some water. Eret took it gratefully, downing it a little too quickly and wincing, but the colour was already returning to his face and his breathing seemed less rapid.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe tomorrow. I'm tired."

Nodding, Valka let Tripfire lean over her to snuffle at Eret, checking for herself he was alright. After a little scratch on the chin, she accepted his assurances and went back to her roosting spot on the ceiling. Eret shuffled to lie down, curling around Valka as best he could - Alva and Vali had decided they were staying, apparently, and so the two humans had to navigate their bodies around their new bedmates before they could get to sleep.

Even before they fell back to sleep, Valka had some suspicions about Eret's bad dreams - he'd clutched his scar when he woke, and so she suspected Drago had starred in his nightmare. He seemed much better when they woke, save for complaints of aching legs where Alva had used him as a pillow through the night. But he scratched at his chest until the scars reddened again, not even seeming to notice it until Valka pulled his hand away.

"Do you want to talk about your dreams now?"

"Eh. Not much to say. Just reliving... _that"_ he gestured to his chest "and I know a lot of people say you can't feel pain in dreams and pains how you know you're awake, but... it seemed pretty real."

Ignoring his attempts to brush it off, Valka hugged the stubborn man until he relaxed into her hold, Alva and Vali clambering up to join in the cuddle and Eret cheered further.

"Thanks. But really, I'm ok."

Valka cradled his jaw, kissed him gently.

"You don't have to be brave for me. I love you as you are, feelings and fears included."

Eret sighed quietly, leaning into her again. They'd been so very vulnerable with each other, physically and emotionally. She was happy to remind him that hadn't changed how they felt about each other. And he had good reason to have old fears with Drago Bludvist - he'd been branded and almost died from that, and probably would have if he hadn't gotten himself kidnapped by Valka, who treated his wounds despite constant complaining.

"Come on, let's get up properly and go flying."

"Good plan."

That always perked him up. Especially when Alva and Vali went with, taking their first shaky flight attempts over the updrafts to help them feel secure in the air. They weren't _too_ fond of it just yet, but they'd get there, and they definitely liked flying on mama or papas back.

Eret and Tripfire were very unhappy about having to say goodbye to each other that evening, but duty called and they had dragons to rescue, hunter plans to scupper. Saddling up on Gustnudger, it was quite strange for them all but they were adjusting, and it wasn't forever. Once Alva and Vali were big enough to be left alone, Tripfire would be back in the air with Eret, causing her usual brand of destruction.

As a nursed-back-to-health rescue himself, Gustnudger was always up for helping in a fight, and Eret's saddle tweaks meant they flew together fairly well. His ice blasts made a change too, less predictable than Stormcutter fire from both 'vigilantes'. Eret knew his way around bases better than Valka, simply because he'd been in so many and the basic layout tended to stay the same, with a spot well away from the noisy cages for the leaders hut or cabin. That was the best place to find things like maps, plans, correspondence with other hunters, which helped them do even more damage to the dragon trade.

Armed with a bundle of papers and the leaders tent ablaze behind him, Eret joined Valka in time to clock a hunter over the head with a discarded hammer, then wrench open a few more cages before they circled, checking they had them all. Satisfied, they took to the air, a flock of new rescues coming along behind them to what would hopefully be a new, safe haven for them all.

"What did you find?"

Valka asked when they'd landed, tending to injuries and checking on others before they were free to settle back in their room for tea and affection from small Stormcutters. Eret frowned as he flicked through, scowling.

"I _thought_ these went down a couple of years ago, but looks like they're back."

He handed her the parchment, the handwriting atrocious but that wasn't uncommon for hunters.

"Yes, I thought I'd stomped those out too. Looks like we shall have to re-educate them."

The letters and plans were all details for dragon fighting rings - prices, places, how to discuss them so the information didn't fall into the hands of 'do gooders'. Valka supposed that meant she and Eret.

"Yeah. According to this, a new shipment is being dropped off at the closest one tomorrow, so I think we should go the day after, in case the ships a bit late. We don't want to miss any."

"And then after that, we will have to hit the others fairly quickly before news gets out too far that we're on to them."

Eret nodded in agreement. Just when things seemed to be getting _calm_ again.

"I'll do a supply run tomorrow, we're gonna need a lot of bandages and stuff if we're raiding fight rings. Lot of injuries."

"Did you ever go?"

Valka wasn't sure why she asked, except that it hadn't come up before. Eret's face darkened, but he shook his head.

"Me? No. Never saw the appeal in violence for the sake of violence. Besides, I got plenty of dragon-fighting action just from trapping, I wasn't about to make it my hobby too."

She took his hand, squeezing it in reassurance - she knew he wasn't that man anymore. Eret let her, other hand stroking Vali's horned head until he began to wobble and purr, close to falling asleep on the spot.

"They're getting a bit big to be lap dragons, but somehow I highly doubt that's going to stop them."

"Well, are you surprised?"

"Not really. Any child of Tripfire is going to be a little over the top. Cute though."

Tripfire preened behind them, sneaking up to lick the side of Eret's face and roaring with laughter when Alva climbed over onto him to try and do the same. Valka was laughing too hard to help as he flailed under lots of wings and tails and little squeaks, but Tripfire eventually took a little pity on him and summoned her children, allowing Eret to sit up.

"Why me? Why don't _you_ ever get covered in dragon drool?"

"I'm sure it just means you're special to them."

Eret rolled his eyes as he wiped his face and discarded his soiled tunic, but he was soon back tickling little scaled bellies and throwing the dragon grass bags for them to chase and flop over with. For all the adventure in him, the one who'd thrived living at sea and who fought dragons fearlessly, Eret seemed so content with the quiet, the playtime, even the mundane things like keeping chickens and carrying fish around the nest. It gave Valka foolish notions - this was their life, and she accepted that. But she could still dream, just a little.

-HTTYD-

**So its (sort of)** **clear... Valka + Eret have been together a little over a year, and time-line wise, HTTYD2 is about a year and a half away, give or take a couple of months.**


	26. Chapter 26

**watching HTTYD3 and hearing Valka say "I'm with Eret" has me like YES, YES YOU ARE!**

**And she likes more than just his instincts.**

-HTTYD-

Eret missed his dragon greatly, too used to the sight of her fins flaring in front of him, body used to compensating for the beating of four wings beneah him. But Alva and Vali needed her, and the dragons trapped in fighting rings needed _them._ Gripping the handles of his saddle, Eret saw Valka signal that they were close enough to rise up into cloud cover. Bubbles in the ocean below signalled their company - captured dragons forced to fight were not always receptive to freedom, and so to be safe and sure, they had the Alpha for reassurance.

His Windgnasher was well adjusted for the chilly transition, and they came out above the clouds with only a few headshakes from dragons to dispel the moisture they collected. Cloudjumper was as on edge as his rider, prepared for the fight and angry about the _why_ of the rescue. He was as free as could be despite being 'Valka's dragon', and so the concept of trapped, caged, _owned_ dragons as nothing but violent, disposable entertainment was as abhorrent to Valka and Cloudjumper as it always should have been to Eret. He could only keep going and hope one day that guilt wouldn't stick to him like sand by the sea.

Gods, he was _so_ lucky Valka had been willing to see through his past and help him become a better man.

Lost in his musings, Eret was glad Gustnudger was paying attention as Valka signalled them to drop, circling the island and spotting the clearly-new arena. They had to be careful, wary of spooked and wounded dragons locked away. And traps. Lots of traps. They were aware of Valka and Eret, or at least of the 'vigilantes', so they were definitely going to be prepared to try and stop the two of them doing exactly what they were there to do - free the dragons.

There was no instant retaliation when they landed, but that didn't mean there was nobody around. Valka crouched down, hands on the ground as she crawled a few paces in her dragon-like way, looking for tracks and traps while Eret looked a little higher up, seeking human guards.

 _Slowly,_ she signalled to him, and then to the dragons that were with them. Eret left his sword sheathed for the moment, in case they found a dragon first; being visibly armed only made scared dragons more scared. Valka's staff could make sounds that soothed, and most hunters didn't carry anything similar. Swords were less ambiguous, and more popular with hunters.

It didn't take long for them to be noticed and set upon, but these were not skilled fighters. Brute strength and numbers were their strategy, and between Valka and Eret being seasoned fighters and their back-up in the form of some seriously pissed off dragons, they moved through that group quite soon. The noise had undoubtedly gotten them noticed though, alarms raised and there was the sound of a bell ringing in the distance.

The ringing drew more to them, though the numbers were fewer and the weapons different - Eret and Cloudjumper spent most of their time keeping arrows from hitting Valka before the Stormcutter lost all patience and spat a great torrent of flame around them, allowing them to move on with several crispy looking hunters left behind and the archers scattered. Cloudjumper seemed quite pleased with himself. Eret expected he'd brag to Tripfire when they got home. She seemed to enjoy those sorts of stories.

Valka shook her staff, a signal to pass along to the Alpha that they were close. They made it to the arena with no more trouble, humans slipping through the gaps in the chains to land at the bottom. It took no time at all to find the fixtures on the sides, a few choice tugs freeing them so the dragons could lift the chains and get in themselves.

"Ah!"

Eret couldn't help but yell out as an arrow left a deep, bloody gash on his forearm, where armour was thin to allow for movement. The trigger seemed to be weak on that trap, as the first that hit him took several seconds to be followed by more, by which time the dragons were prepared and managed to knock down or burn up the next volley. Valka wrapped his arm in cloth for him, but they didn't have time to tend properly to the wound yet and so he grit his teeth, thanked her and they continued on _carefully._

It was a relief of sorts to finally find the damned cages, though it was painful to see the dragons in there, scared, scarred and chained up.

"We'll keep watch, do your thing."

Valka nodded - well, her helmet did, but Eret could picture the determined set of her face, tightly pressed lips and that deep furrow between her brows. She began to open the cages, soothing one dragon at a time as though she had all the time in the world for each and every one.

"Oh, you poor dear. Come on, we'll get you out of here."

Eret had taught her to pick the most complicated locks the hunters had invented when he still worked for the wrong side, meaning she could free any dragon from any system until they got around to designing new ones. So far, they hadn't struggled.

Three Razorwhips ( _where_ did they find those? Eret reckoned they'd be visiting the Wingmaidens soon) and two Monstrous Nightmares freed from the first set of cages, Eret was starting to grow suspicious that nobody had tried to stop them yet. He saw the dragons fear and pain, but they calmed before fire or blood was spilled under the control of the Alpha nearby. It was easier if he could _see_ the dragons, and they him, but it had enough range that they could make use of the power even while the Bewilderbeast stayed hidden beneath the water outside.

"I don't like this. It's too quiet."

Valka murmured to him as Eret tightened his makeshift bandage, focusing on her voice instead of the pain. He nodded, having thought the same.

"Agreed. Next row of cages should be back and to the right. Let's go carefully."

The next row housed bigger, heavier dragons, a few _very_ unhappy Gronckles who were in bite-proof cages, kept starved until it was time to fight so there was nothing in their system to make into lava.

"Oh-hoh, careful!"

Eret grabbed Valka and halted her from going further, both peering around the corridor to where there appeared to be two prime dragons, caged several feet apart.

"Is that a Thunderpede?"

Valka hissed, though her voice still carried surprise.

"Yep. Big one too. Those guys break ships with body slams. And over there is a pretty big Triple Stryke. This won't be easy."

"I think that might have been the point."

As soon as they stepped over the threshold of the room, Eret felt _something_ was tripped and both the dragons cage doors opened. Seeming to be asleep seconds before, they both reared up, spitting angry and scarily powerful.

"We can't hurt them!"

"I know, but they're gonna hurt us!"

Thunderpede claws were strong enough to crush boulders without breaking a sweat, and Triple Stryke tails were very very poisonous, and Eret had never gotten round to asking Valka if she knew an antidote for that. And the two dragons did not seem open to being befriended.

They both dived out of the way of Triple Stryke tails, Cloudjumper roaring indignantly behind them but he was no more want to hurt the trapped dragons than they were. The Alpha was apparently struggling to get through to these particular dragons, so Eret guessed they were on their own. There was only so long they were going to be able to parry the blows, and Eret was already wounded, slowing him down.

"I'm sorry."

Eret wasn't sure who he was apologising to more - the dragon or Valka - before he moved in, taking advantage of an old-known trick that knocked out most dragons and punching the Triple Stryke in the side of it's neck. The dragon went down like a ton of rocks, but the same trick wouldn't work on the thick plated scales of the Thunderpede.

The very angry Thunderpede who'd just seen Eret hurt another dragon.

He barely moved before the volley of small, powerful fireballs landed where he'd been standing, narrowly missing the unconscious dragon on the ground. Stumbling backwards, Eret tripped over one of the tails on the ground and landed heavily, jarring his bleeding arm when he broke his fall. The Thunderpede advanced, claws growing closer and Eret's bones stood no chance against boulder-crushing strength.

A small explosion behind it had the Thunderpede whipping around, exposing the softest part of their belly scales to the dart Valka shot at it, Cloudjumper pulling the Triple Stryke away just in time to not be crushed under the falling Thunderpede.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Found it. I wish we hadn't needed to resort to that."

Eret nodded, dragging himself to his feet and looking around. Stone as far as the eye could see...

"Hey, can you guys eat your way outta here?"

The Gronckles didn't need asking twice before they started biting at the rock walls, opening up cracks that could be blown open. As soon as there was enough space, Valka crawled out and got the attention of the Bewilderbeast, which made escaping a _lot_ easier. Unhappy their trap hadn't worked the way it was intended, there were hunters starting to converge as they hauled the unconscious dragons out at last, but they made it to the air dodging only a few flaming arrows.

"That was stupid!"

Valka was understandably incensed with him, almost dropping her helmet with how fast she took it off to rip into him.

"I know, but it was that or _actually_ hurt them. Trust me, I didn't like doing that. There isn't always a gentle way!"

"It's going to take twice as long, if _ever,_ to get those dragons to trust us now!"

Eret nodded, pain still lancing up his arm as he fought to grip on to the saddle and steer properly in formation.

"I know! I'm sorry!"

She didn't speak to him again the whole way back, and he didn't blame her when Valka left him alone while she went to deal with the dragons. Struggling to take his armour off one handed, he'd just managed when Tripfire found him, not at all pleased Eret was hurt again.

"Hey girl. I know, I know. Let me get cleaned up first, ok?"'

Huffing, Tripfire still kept Alva and Vali from climbing on him as Eret knelt down by the fire, warming water to clean his wound.

Gentle hands pulled the cloth from his grip, Valka dropping to her knees next to him and dabbing carefully at the cut there.

"You don't have to."

"I know. I want to. I'm still angry with you, but it was a bad situation all round."

Eret had been terrified to mess up for so long, not sure how many times Valka was prepared to forgive him after the _huge_ chance she gave him early on.

Yet there she was, tending to him so gently he barely felt her hands.

"Wait there, I need more bandages."

Eret stayed, watching Valka scuttle across the floor in her strange little way that he adored. She even made a soft sound of apology when he hissed in pain as she bound his arm tightly, using the wrapping to hold the cut closer together. She added a second layer when the blood seeped through the first.

"I'll change it when we've gotten some rest."

"Thank you. Really."

Valka nodded tightly, and finally looked up at him.

 _"Never_ do that again."

"I won't."

"I... it scared me. I _know_ you're not a hunter or a trapper anymore, but watching you turn back to that method had me worried."

Eret swallowed thickly.

"It doesn't really hurt them. It just knocks them out. No permanent damage. I _swear,_ I'd never intentionally hurt a dragon. Not again."

He didn't care that his blood was drying on her hands when Valka cupped his face, kissed him slowly.

"Don't make me regret this."

-HTTYD-

**I was having some strong 'Eret's-gotta-mess-up-sometime' thoughts when I wrote this, and also thinking about how Valka would probably harbour some doubts, even if _she_ thinks she doesn't. Old habits die hard, after all. For both of them.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Eret needs a cuddle. That's just his permanent mood.**

-HTTYD-

Eret had been... especially sweet and helpful lately. Not that he wasn't generally sweet and helpful, but Valka felt as though her words had hit home after the incident with the Triple Stryke. A year ago, she wouldn't have been prepared to offer him a second chance after seeing that, but he'd really, _really_ tried to show her it had been an error in judgement, not a relapse back to his old, bad ways.

And, as he said, the Triple Stryke _was_ completely fine after he came around. No permanent damage, though there was a _lot_ of (very understandable) wariness toward the humans, and the dragon was only calm when near to the Alpha.

"Vali, you're gonna burn your face!"

Having successfully set his first fire (well, his first _intentional_ one... there had been a few flame-related accidents), Vali kept leaning in too closely to investigate his handiwork, and Eret was trying to stop him.

It was a brief trip home, to eat and catch a few hours sleep and bathe off the residue of previous fights after they dropped off their newest rescues. Then it was back out to continue dismantling the new dragon-fighting system that had sprung up in secret.

"I know, I know, you want us to go flying! But humans gotta eat, so go eat your fish and we'll go flying later."

Getting bigger, stronger, capable of short independent flights and feeding themselves, Alva and Vali were still fond of being with their parents, but Valka thought they'd be safe to be left for short breaks soon. The nest as a whole was a safe place, and the other dragons would watch over them. Tripfire seemed equally aware, ever more antsy to go flying with Eret lately after doing her quiet time of always focusing on tending to her hatchlings. It spoke volumes about her growing trust that Tripfire even _considered_ leaving them with anyone but herself, Cloudjumper, Eret or Valka. For a long time, she only ever trusted Eret, and wasn't a huge fan of the other dragons in the nest.

Valka got the feeling she'd met the first ever dragon who would happily start an argument with the Alpha. But, with time and patience, the female Stormcutter had settled alongside her human in the nest.

Her very stubborn human, who kept insisting he could treat his own wounds when Valka told him to stop messing with his arm. She wondered if he felt like he didn't deserve the help; Valka had been pretty hard on him after the incident with the Triple Stryke, and there was clearly a part of Eret that feared Valka would change her mind, turn him away.

"Stop fussing, would you? Letting you dress your own wounds almost killed you."

Eret stopped resisting at last as Valka re-wrapped his arm. The arrow had taken a decent chunk out of him, but they kept it clean and dressed as they knew stitches would only have broken when he was flying and fighting. Ideally, she'd have had him stop using it as much as possible, but that wasn't an option when they had the fighting rings to break, and Eret baulked at the idea of staying behind.

"I have a question for you."

Eret blinked.

"Ok, shoot."

"Now that there's a degree of certainty within the dragon hunting circles about who you are... what would you do if who we ended up against were those who are from your homeland?"

She could _feel_ the tension her question brought him, though she knew Eret worried about that sort of thing all on his own. They'd only spoke about it a few times, because Valka knew what a leap he'd taken to side with her after what Drago did to his people to force their hand.

"I uh... I don't know. I don't know how they feel about it being _me,_ and I guess my reaction would depend on theirs. I guess... I guess I'd ask you to be careful with them? I know that's easier said than done, but we didn't choose dragon hunting out of hatred for dragons, and if I weren't sure Drago would go and massacre my tribe for it, I _really_ think I could get through to them. But for all I know, they all feel betrayed and I've been exiled from my tribe, and they are all quite prepared to kill me on sight. So yeah. I don't know."

Finishing with the bandage, Valka nodded.

"That was very honest of you."

"Why would I lie to you?"

"I suppose I wasn't expecting you to _lie,_ but you didn't try to avoid the question like I thought you might."

Eret shrugged.

"It's a fair question, and a very real possibility."

They let the conversation fade as they ate, heading to take a bath while their stomachs settled before the dragons wanted to go flying. Eret joked he may as well have not bothered with a new bandage yet, and she applied a fresh one when they got out and re-dressed. Valka bade Cloudjumper to rest, since he was going on the rescue, and climbed up on top of Tripfire (with her permission) alongside Eret, watching Alva and Vali tumble through the air together, still getting the hang of four-winged flight but very capable of tucking their second set away and flying with two.

"What would you do if who we ended up against was Berk?"

After her question, it wasn't unfair of Eret to ask the same thing. It wasn't an easy thing to answer, though Valka still felt reassured by his warm weight at her back, his arms around her to grip the saddle.

"I... don't know. I doubt any still alive on Berk who remember me think favourably of me, and those that do likely think I died the night I was taken."

"Do you think they'd ever let you explain?"

"No. I tried for years when I lived there to make them see the truth. I doubt even my survival would convince them I was anything other than a traitor."

"Did you ever think of doing that? Going back and trying to show them proof? Proof like you surviving, like them being friendly?"

Valka nodded, felt Eret squeeze her gently.

"A few times, early on. Back when my son would have been young enough to grow up in a different world if Berk had understood. But then I started fighting the hunters, and Drago, and... I had to accept that people weren't capable of change else I'd have gone mad, I think. I was _terrified_ when I met Mala."

"How come?"

"I was wounded in battle, and so was Cloudjumper. It made us incredibly vulnerable. Had they not been merciful to our plight, I doubt we'd have survived. But they healed us both as best they could, and introduced me to the Great Protector of their tribe."

Tripfire dipped, following Alva who had decided to try out diving all on her own and who was already showing signs of spinning out of control. Eret held tight, to both Valka and the saddle, until Tripfire evened out with Alva clutched carefully between her teeth, protesting loudly. When she was freed, she resumed flying normally and so Tripfire relaxed, looking for Vali who swooped down to fly alongside them again.

They headed home sooner than any would have liked, but they needed to rest, regroup and head back out for more rescues. Seeming less wary that Valka would turn him away, Eret didn't need encouraging to hold her as they slept that time.

It felt never-ending, but they'd taken out eight of the most central fight rings already, and there were only two more on the list. They'd have to sweep and check the smaller locations, but they were almost done with the big job. Until the next big rescue raids came along... sometimes Valka almost felt disheartened, as though she took down one only for two more vile people exploiting dragons to pop up.

But she only had to look around the nest, to see all the dragons rescued and happy and healthy. To look at Tripfire, and Alva and Vali, who'd only become part of their family because of her stubborn determination to _keep going._ It steeled her, as did Eret pulling on his armour even as he yawned, cramming yesterdays stew into his mouth cold and wincing, but he was much more useful to her when he wasn't hungry, he insisted. He spent a minute saying goodbye to Tripfire, who was disgruntled about being left behind _again_ but understood why, before they were ready to go and up in the air.

No matter how many long it took, they would't stop. They _couldn't._

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Eret quizzed as Valka knelt down, holding something out to all the Razorwhip dragons they'd pulled out of the fighting rings - a Razorwhip tail could cut through pretty much anything, and so they'd been dragons of choice for fighting because of the damage they could do to other dragons.

"I'm showing them that I can take them home."

The strange little bundle of dried plants confused Eret, but he waited patiently for the explanation while Valka worked with the dragons, who all seemed soothed and intrigued.

"How?"

"These are a gift from the Wingmaidens. When Razorwhips hatch, they are blind. Their first memories are all scent based, and they spend a lot of time out in the woods where these plants grow. The flowers only grow on Wingmaiden Island, and so these are the scent of home to Razorwhips long after they grow up and fly free. I promised Atali I would always bring rescued Razorwhips home."

After they'd been treated for wounds and given food and rest, they were all strong enough to make the trip. It was cutting it close for them to go without disrupting the season where Cloudjumper and Eret would be summarily executed by female Razorwhips, but if they didn't go now they'd have had to wait _months._ Those dragons deserved their safety back.

Eret would just have to be careful.

"Yes, yes! Big trip together at last, I know!"

Tripfire was thrilled, nuzzling Eret and bouncing almost as boisterously as her kids did about the prospect. Eret laughed as she did so, happy to be getting back on the familiar saddle with his dragon. Flying other dragons was fine, but he and Tripfire had a connection that just didn't quite exist with other dragons. Just like Valka and Cloudjumper.

Valka seemed to have forgiven him for the Triple Stryke incident, though Eret was still wary of upsetting her again. The Triple Stryke was doing well, calm enough to interact with other dragons - so long as those other dragons weren't much bigger than him, and playful juveniles sometimes upset him. But they were getting there. The Thunderpede wasn't built for the temperatures within the nest, but _ideally_ suited to the environment on Caldera Cay. Mala had been more than happy to take him on, and they planned on visiting to check up on him soon.

But first, they had nearly a dozen Razorwhips to take home.

Alva and Vali were thrilled to fly alongside, though they had a little trouble keeping up sometimes, and got tired enough to take a break part way through so they made the second half of the journey on the backs of their parents.

Wingmaidens greeted them at the islands edge, and were thrilled to see the dragons they brought back.

"Where did you find so many?"

"Dragon fighting rings. We took out as many as we could find, and once they were strong enough to fly back, we brought these dragons home to you."

Forming bonds early on as most dragons did, the Razorwhips still remembered the Wingmaidens, cloaked in the same scales and welcoming them with gentle, comforting hands. Atali found them soon after, having heard she had visitors, and greeted both humans and dragons alike warmly.

"Oh, I see you have new members of your nest?"

Alva and Vali took a little convincing to let Atali stroke them, but once they did she was clearly more than alright in their books, ruffling wings and nuzzling hands as they rumbled happily.

"This is Alva, and he's Vali. A fair bit bigger than when they hatched, but Stormcutters are slow growers so we've got a ways to go til they're full sized."

Atali smiled.

"Come, come, we will get you some sustenance before we take the Razorwhips back to the forest. Thank you for returning them."

"I promised, did I not?"

"Very true Valka."

Plied with food and wine and bowls of fish for the dragons, Eret and Valka sat largely alone save for two of the younger Wingmaidens, not quite in their teens yet but old enough to be wearing vests made of scales so they could get used to the weight, the way they moved. Eret waited until they left to ask something that had just occurred to him.

"How do Wingmaidens get... yanno, kids?"

Valka rolled her eyes, chewing and swallowing more bread before she answered Eret.

"I believe they have an understanding with a tribe a few hours away, who offer their... _help,_ to fulfill Freya's tasks, and also to take on any male offspring that may come along once they are no longer dependent on their mother for sustenance. They only need to replenish each generation, so most of the Wingmaidens need only bear a child once in their lives."

Eret nodded to himself.

"Maybe you should hook them up with the Defenders. Would make for a good team effort there. Have Atali and Mala ever met?"

"Not to my knowledge. They have very different ways of doing things. Mala's tribe do not fly on dragons, while the Wingmaidens have parts of this island only accessible by flight, so ingrained it in is their lives. And I... sorry, _we_ " Eret tried not to smile like an idiot at how definitive the _we_ was, even though Valka had to remember she was no longer alone "do things in our own way too."

"True. Still, it would be something between funny and terrifying to put you, Mala and Atali all in one place."

Valka laughed lightly to herself, raising the meat to her mouth rather than use cutlery; she didn't always use it before Eret joined the nest, and he realised why when the baby Stormcutters came along. It was hard enough keeping plates and bowls intact around baby dragons, or _any_ dragons, let alone smaller things like utensils. Still, Eret had fallen in love with the mad, feral vigilante. Table manners weren't something dragons had either.

The Stormcutters were all napping as they digested their meal when the Wingmaidens returned, splattered with mud and a few scratches in places but all smiling, happy.

"Good reintroduction?"

"Very. They're reintegrating wonderfully. Thank you, again. It's lovely to have them home."

"You are very welcome Atali, and I am very glad to be able to reunite them with their own kind."

There was no denying the life Valka led, and the life Eret chose to lead alongside her, was tough. But they weren't as alone as it sometimes seemed, and when they had days like that one, where they got to take dragons back where they belonged and let them be safe again? He knew it was worth it.

-HTTYD-

**I love Thunderpedes. They are so ludicrously shaped for flight and will 100% kick your ass, but are also the Gay Rights dragons.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Well, I can't think of a witty authors note.**

-HTTYD-

Eret had almost forgotten it was getting to that time of year again, but then he realised why the nest was so abuzz with energy and why Cloudjumper was extra dopey toward Tripfire. With Alva and Vali old enough to be left alone, he'd been back in the saddle with Tripfire for a few months, but with the mating season approaching again, it remained to be seen if he'd be taking another break.

Although, perhaps Alva and Vali could babysit any younger siblings... though Eret wasn't sure the nest could take the combined excitement and explosions.

"If these two have two more kids every year, our room is gonna get pretty full. Especially when Alva and Vali are full-grown."

Valka laughed, tickling Alva's dusky blue belly as she squirmed happily beneath.

"We can always move that wall further back if we have to."

Eret nodded, rubbing his face tiredly. It felt like they'd been going non-stop the last few months, even more so than usual. Tripfire hadn't minded getting to go flying and destroying all the time, at least.

Twitchy footsteps and low chitters preceded familiar clicks, the slow progress of the Triple Stryke edging his way into their room. He was still a little wary, and jumped if approached from behind and didn't love baby dragons trying to gnaw at his tails... but considering the lashing out and isolation and _pain_ dragon-fighting captives went through, the scars where he'd been 'trained' to do as the hunters wanted?

Eret was stunned, and _proud_ of the progress. He waited, Triple Stryke snuffling and taking in the room again to make sure he knew where he was, but eventually letting Eret reach out just enough to pet him gently on the snout, mindful of the smaller spike and even gentler when he stroked under his scarred jaw.

"There we go buddy, you're all good. Want some fish?"

He held the fish out slowly, let the dragon take it at his own pace.

"What should we call you, hm?"

Valka hummed to herself at his question, watching the dragon.

"You name him. I've named hundreds of dragons. You two could do with the bonding experience."

Blinking, Eret looked over the dragon, taking in the powerful shape and armoured back and those very very dangerous tails. Struggling to come up with anything that didn't say _dangerous,_ which Valka rarely approved of - she'd named a Monstrous Nightmare _Mercy,_ for Thor's sake - Eret chose to look at the Triple Stryke's colours instead. Dark, black in some places and fading into a silvery grey.

"How about... Eclipse?"

The Triple Stryke shuffled, thinking before chirping.

"Is that a yes?"

He was allowed to pet the dragon again, before the heavy snout was nudging toward the food basket for more fish, so Eret figured it was a yes. Eclipse was effectively back to full health, but they worried how he'd fare without the Alpha to calm him. If he _chose_ to leave, there would be little they could do, but until he did, they weren't going to try and release him to the wild again.

"I can't think when I last saw another Triple Stryke. Guess this guy might be alone this season."

Valka patted Alva one last time, then got up to get herself some water.

"Triple Stryke's mate early in the year, not late. I know a few places we might be able to take Eclipse to meet others like him after the main mating season is over, if he's ready to be around other dragons outside of the nest."

"Ah, so there's hope for my boy yet?"

Valka smiled.

"Oh, I can only imagine the horror on your face if I'd told you how quickly you'd come to love dragons when we first met."

"Yeah, well, old me was an idiot. New me is still mostly an idiot, but he knows better."

Approaching slowly so she'd not spook Eclipse, Valka leant down and kissed Eret.

"I love you, you ridiculous man."

"I love you too, crazy dragon lady."

Eclipse had warmed toward Valka quicker, which wasn't surprising for many reasons, but they seemed to all be trucking along well now. And the Thunderpede had settled in well over with Mala and the Eruptadon. The Razorwhips were back with Atali, where _they_ belonged, and the dragon fighting enterprise was crippled beyond repair for now. They'd have to keep trying, but with how many dragons they freed, how many buildings and islands and headquarters they'd razed to the ground (and how many hunters had died or been seriously wounded trying to fight back) Eret felt it was a good years work.

"Right, let's get the feeding flight done, cus I'm starving but taking Tripfire on a fishing flight right after dinner is a bad idea. Eclipse, you wanna come? You gotta be nice to the other dragons, but nobody is gonna hurt you."

Dragons as jumpy as Eclipse often took their meals in the nest and went out for flights later, alone. But Eclipse was doing well, so Eret gave him the choice. Eclipse agreed, but he stuck very close to the Stormcutters the whole time, and he twitched and checked behind himself a lot. Used to wary rescues over the years, the rest of the dragons were very forgiving about it.

"You do keep surprising me."

"Huh? What did I do now?"

Valka rolled her eyes, folding herself into a seated position next to where Eret was rubbing spices into hunks of meat.

"How you worked with Eclipse. Especially since he was so afraid of you. I'm just so very proud of how far you've come, I suppose."

"Well, I think I still have a lot to learn, but thank you. Could you get me the water bucket so I can wash my hands?"

If he didn't, the dragons would lick his fingers until it started to hurt to get all the taste there. Valka handed it to him, Eret rinsing the raw meat off and moving the bucket away from the fire before it got knocked over and extinguished by boisterous dragons.

"So, anything specific we need to do before we start getting ready to deal with mating season?"

"Nothing _specific,_ just our usual I think. We certainly can't visit the Wingmaidens, and while visiting Mala is pleasant I don't think we _need_ to go, we know the Thunderpede is thriving there and they have their own work to do. So yes, unless scouts return with need-to-rescue news, we are mostly here except for supply runs until the season is over."

Eret nodded, poking at the meat to make sure it cooked evenly, vegetables looking done through too so he had Valka get their bowls, and she poured a few distracting fish into the Stormcutter bowls before pouring the adults drinks to go with dinner. They ate with the usual chaos of dragons everywhere, though most weren't big fans of vegetables thankfully.

Valka rubbed her stomach with a wince, putting her bowl aside and sighing.

"You ok? Something wrong with your food?"

She shook her head, gesturing to the side and Eret's eyes followed, spotting the box where she kept the tightly rolled wool for the moonsblood she didn't often get, but had not yet totally stopped. Thankfully, she knew he wasn't squeamish about it, like some men were, and wasn't shamed by telling him that was why she was uncomfortable.

"Oh, right. Here, watch my bowl a minute."

He shuffled over to the fire, putting water on to boil and steeping herbs in. He'd learned a mix back home with his tribe for that from his grandmother, and whenever Valka had trouble with cramping discomfort, Eret made it up for her. Dinner finished while the tea brewed, Eret took the pot off the fire, ladled some into a cup and let some cool water drip in from the constant trickle to cool it down.

"Here. Don't burn yourself."

"Thank you Eret."

Eret perched next to her, rubbing her back soothingly when she'd downed some of her tea.

"Better?"

Swallowing the rest, Valka nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

"Good. I'll get you another cup, if you need the bathroom then go but you're laying down after. Yes, I know you've coped for many moons, but there's no reason you can't take it easy now."

Valka petulantly stuck her tongue out, but left for the bathroom while Eret refilled her cup and placed it next to their bed, tidying up after dinner while he waited for her to come back. She seemed happier when Eret opted to lie down with her, so he was just glad she'd stopped resisting the resting. After another cup of tea and some rest, alongside a gentle massage to ease tense muscles, Valka was feeling better, and so they headed out for a late evening (and _gentle)_ flight before they retired for the night. After a little hesitation, Eclipse shuffled in and curled up near the glowing embers of the fire, three tails braided and curled around him. Eret smiled, pointing it out silently to Valka before they both settled down to sleep.

* * *

Eclipse huffed, disgruntled about having to stop mid-flight again, but that was the standard when flying with weeks-old hatchlings.

Identical to the last scale, the two newest members of their little family were two mischief-making miniatures of their father, save for the colour on their horns and spines. Cloudjumper's were blue, but the babes had. purple like their mother.

Eret had (in _his_ opinion, cleverly) named one Cloudjunior, though to avoid confusion they mostly called him Junior. And Junior's brother was Stormjunior, often shortened to Storm. And Valka hadn't known it was possible, but the 'twins' as they called them were actually more of a menace than their older siblings.

It was their first flight - earlier than Alva and Vali had been taken out, but needs must - and they kept wriggling out of the humans arms or lap to try and drape themselves over their parents horns, or attempting to fly, and it was making the journey with Eclipse take easily twice as long as it should have. At least Eclipse wasn't doing more than glare and grumble, despite not having much patience for baby dragons and their boisterous ways.

"You definitely know where we're going, right?"

Eret asked, trying and sort-of-managing to hold on to Junior, allowing Tripfire to keep on flying unhindered. Valka distracted Storm with scratches under the chin, which calmed him down.

"Yes, Eret, I'm quite sure. Do you really think I'd be making a trip with these two so young if I weren't certain it was best for Eclipse?"

"Alright. Fair enough."

He pulled a face as Junior started squirming again, disgruntled by the restriction on movement. It wasn't worth landing for a break when they were already fairly close, so Valka thought perhaps they should make sure the babes were tired out before they flew back, though with Eclipse _hopefully_ finding his new home, it wouldn't be such an issue flying back.

"How far?" at Valka's glare, Eret tried to give her a pacifying smile while little Stormcutter headfins smacked him in the face "hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go!"

"Fifteen, maybe twenty more minutes. You'll be able to see it soon."

Junior opted to settle, watching the movement of Eclipse's tails as he braided and unbraided them while flying, clearly anxious - he knew where they were going, but after being captive and injured and then rescued, he was understandably wary.

"Alright, here we are."

Eret mindfully dropped Junior on Tripfire's head, then leapt from his saddle and did a rather comical jog toward a tree, followed by an audible sound of relief after fussing with his armour. Rolling her eyes at his antics, Valka slid down from Cloudjumper's back, leaving Storm up there to amuse himself by playing with his papa. Alva and Vali were still at the age where everything was exciting, sniffing around the land they'd come down on. Eclipse clicked his front pincer claws, tail making the usual click as he looked around.

"Don't worry my dear, they're just getting a look at us before they come out."

Sure enough, there was the clicking sound of Triple Stryke's communicating with one another, before a few heads poked out from around hills, over boulders. When one of their own was spotted, several took flight and came over, investigating the newcomers. Some recognised Valka and Cloudjumper from previous encounters, including one particularly lovely white-and-pink female who skipped right over to her for attention.

"Hello Rosethorn, it has been too long!"

"Rosethorn?"

Eret raised an eyebrow, having hooked his helmet on his saddle and tucked his gloves away to allow him to stroke Eclipse soothingly.

"Yes. The sharp points of her tail reminded me of thorns and roses. She's very sweet though."

It was why Valka had chosen _this_ particular pack of dragons for Eclipse - they were calm, docile, peaceful. Not typical of the Triple Stryke, she knew, as they were a prideful and aggressive type who weren't afraid to fight anyone. However, they were also fiercely loyal and gracious, and rewarded their favours. Valka had helped relocate them about five years back, to keep them out of Drago's reach. They weren't the type Drago would have wanted anyway, this soft and gentle pack, but that would only have gotten them killed. Valka's help meant they remembered her, at least the ones who were alive back then. Several more were clearly hatched since then.

"Rosethorn, this is Eclipse. Eclipse, don't be afraid."

Rosethorn tottered over to Eclipse, sniffing at Eret first before turning her attentions to Eclipse. He squawked awkwardly as he was investigated, but Rosethorn backed up with a happy chirrup before rubbing her head against his. As though confused, Eclipse turned to Eret.

"It's ok buddy, she's trying to make friends."

Eclipse tried to mimic it, though when more Triple Strykes edged closer, he started to look a bit unsure. Valka rubbed his side, trying to calm him.

"This pack are very gentle Eclipse, there is no fighting here. They'll keep you safe and you won't be hurt again."

The island was well out of Drago's way, and the dragons were the only pack she knew of on it, and they were pretty good at staying undetected. If he'd needed somewhere that would keep him in line, Valka knew of another nest where there was a Titan Wing Triple Stryke who kept order, but as he proved to be rather relaxed once he felt secure, she felt Eclipse suited this island better.

"If you want to come back with us, you can of course, but if you wish to stay here, then we are happy to see you back with your kind."

They stayed for a while, waiting to see if Eclipse felt he could settle there. Rosethorn especially seemed happy to take him under her pretty wings, nuzzling him whenever Eclipse seemed tense. Triple Stryke's mated for life, and none of the males seemed to feel slighted, so she appeared to be currently 'available', and apparently quite fond of Eclipse already. He was rather dark and intriguing compared to the brighter, milder colouring of the other Triple Strykes she could see.

"Are you staying? If it's too much, you can come back to the nest anytime, alright?"

Looking between rescuers and new pack, Eclipse wavered a few times before shuffling toward Rosethorn and the others. Eret beamed.

"Atta boy. Well, you know where we are if you need us, but we should get back, there's a lot of baby dragons waiting for us."

He came back for pets goodbye, then hopped off after the others, turning back one last time before he disappeared into the trees in the distance. Valka smiled, happy to see him integrate again.

"He's gonna be alright, isn't he?"

Eret fretted slightly, having grown rather fond of the dragon. It was the reassurance Valka needed, to know what happened before was not his old ways resurging.

"Oh, I think he'll be just fine."

"Well, we better get going now these guys are tired out."

He gestured to the yawning 'twins', Junior and Storm looking ready to drop where they stood. Agreeing, Valka grabbed hold of one and climbed up on Cloudjumper, Eret copying her as he mounted Tripfire. Alva and Vali ruffled their wings, ready to fly too.

Eclipse _did_ return to the nest, but it was a happy occasion when he did - it was about three months later, and he had brought along the fruits of a happy mating season in the form of two little babies. Rosethorn shuffled around her babes protectively, beautiful with the dusting of pink over their claws and tails, while their spikes and armoured scales were black as night. Eret was absolutely ecstatic for him, didn't even complain when the babies snapped him with their little and thankfully-not-yet-venemous tails. Her heart swelled at the sight of the dragons nuzzling each other, looking down at their hatchlings.

They waved the little four-dragon family off the next evening with smiles, Eret wrapping his arms around Valka and kissing her temple as they watched the darkening sky swallow them up in the distance. She knew he thought the same as her - sights like that were why they did what they did.

-HTTYD-

**Eclipser was borrowed from Rise Of Berk, though I shortened it to Eclipse because... I couldn't see Eret naming a dragon Eclipse _r._ He's a very handsome Triple Stryke. Rosethorn also borrowed, and super chill so ideal for Eclipse.  
**


	29. Chapter 29

**Almost nobody seems to still be reading this story but I love Valkret so I'm gonna keep inflicting it upon the world.**

-HTTYD-

"So, how old would he be now?"

"Twenty."

Eret nodded, running his fingers over her temple. Valka leant into him more, a quiet morning letting them stay in bed a little longer. Valka always knew when it was her sons birthday, and Eret knew when it was coming up by the way she fussed with the growing pile of letters she wrote him. The day itself had passed, and she'd written her letter to him, but she rarely liked to talk about it and so Eret didn't ask. But she'd brought him up herself that morning, and so Eret followed her lead.

They continued talking quietly for a little while, Valka tracing nonsense shapes mindlessly over his torso, occasionally brushing the bottom of his brand but she treated it like just more skin now, and he did his best not to tense up whenever he felt her fingers there.

"It's been over two years, you know."

She'd fallen silent, so her voice surprised him a little.

"What has?"

"This. Us."

"Oh. Yeah, guess it has. Is that a bad thing?"

Valka shook her head, pushing up enough that she could lean over and kiss him gently. Eret couldn't suppress a smile.

"No. Just an observation. We've had a few ups and downs, I suppose, but... I'm happy, here, right now."

There was a shadow of that wistfulness he knew was Valka missing her son, and he didn't expect that to change just because of his presence. But Eret could relate; he missed his own family, but circumstances seperated them and that didn't mean that Valka couldn't be a source of happiness independent of other things.

"Me too. Incoming."

Her brow creased in confusion, but she turned just in time to see Storm and Junior creeping up behind her and pouncing up onto their bed. They were definitely getting too big to do so, but that wasn't going to stop them.

"Guess we're not staying in bed much longer?"

Valka smiled, running her fingers over Storm's head, who rumbled happily and nuzzled her in turn. Meanwhile Eret had Junior snuffling his hair, which tickled and had him worried for accidental fire.

"I think they have other ideas, yes."

Shooing the younger dragons away, Eret and Valka reluctantly left their warm little blanket-nest, building a fire to chase away the chills now they weren't sharing body heat. Alva and Vali 'helped' (and by helped, Eret meant they both tried to flame the logs, and almost set fire to the rest of the room in the process). Storm and Junior were much happier once fed their sliced up fish (they didn't yet have the hang of chewing and it was alarming to watch them choke), and soon everyone had breakfast in their bellies and the sick bay had been tended to.

"Morning flight?"

Valka nodded.

"Something gentle though, so the babes can keep up."

"Good idea. Alva, Vali, make sure your little brothers don't fall out of the air, ok?"

Alva nodded very seriously. Vali's tongue lolled out, but Eret reckoned he'd heard. He saddled up and they headed out, letting the brisk morning flight brush away residual tiredness as they soared through the air, waving at passing nestmates, some of whom were teaching their youngest hatchlings to fly. The newest Stormcutters were getting it, slowly, and with the occasional rescue still needed, but it was sweet to watch and even sweeter to see the growing family - Cloudjumper had been alone, and then Tripfire came along, and since then two Stormcutters had become six.

When they returned, after a brief double check of their recoverees and the nursery, Valka gave Eret a rather inviting look as she said she was going for a bath, and he certainly didn't miss the opportunity. Picking up fresh bottoms and a towel, Eret saw Tripfire was enjoying the break as her youngest children napped, following his lover down to their bathing area.

Eret rather shamelessly watched Valka undress, but she did much the same as she waited for him to join her in the hot water. They basked for a little while, Valka's fingers tracing his chest and shoulders before running down his arms.

"You've gained an awful lot of scars in these last couple of years."

"Yeah, well, they were worth it. Even this one."

He dragged his finger over one Tripfire had given him when mimicking Cloudjumper tickling Valka, before taking in the rest that littered his arms and chest, a couple along his stomach that he knew from their haphazard shapes were the result of excitable baby dragons. Valka had him turn around, her exploration continuing as she traced the various scars on his back. Eventually her arms wound around his middle, her lips brushing his shoulder as her body pressed to his back.

"Not that I mind the cuddles, but it's gonna be awkward for you to wash like that."

Valka laughed lightly, loosening her arms enough for Eret to turn around and resuming hugging him when he did. He wasn't complaining, wrapping arms around her too and enjoying the way she felt against him. Eret didn't completely register when her hands first began roaming, so used to the way she just stroked him randomly, especially when they shared their baths so often and Valka was tactile, forever touching him even if it wasn't in a sexual manner.

He _definitely_ noticed when her hand moved down his stomach, stroking and squeezing until Eret hardened in her grip. For all Valka had seemed shy and naive when they first started getting physical, she'd certainly moved right on along to playful and cheeky, eyes sparkling with mischief as Eret groaned and bucked into her hand.

Penetration under water was often uncomfortable for Valka, but they were creative enough to not let that slow them. She boosted up so her legs could clutch his hips, Eret's cock settling between her thighs so she could grind against him. Skin flushed from hot water turned a deeper shade of red, Valka making the sweetest sounds of pleasure as she rutted herself against Eret, one hand braced on the edge of the water pool they were in while the other clutched at his back. Her legs flexed against his waist, pulling him even closer so Valka could bite at his shoulder, whimpering beautifully against her neck each time Eret rolled his hips upward.

He gripped the ledge himself with one hand, the other running the length of Valka's spine and pulling her more firmly against him before it moved, nipple swelling at his touch despite the heat of the water. Valka was utterly _divine_ like that, losing herself to pleasure, body pleading for more when her voice had failed her. She was right that it had been a couple of years now, but he still felt the thrill of excitement, the giddy rush that came with Valka's body wrapped around his, the deep heat in his belly as she moaned in his ear, nails scraping his back like claws.

The twitching of her muscles urged him on, both moving a little more frantically until they came to shuddering, shaking climaxes and sank against each other, panting and tingling and grinning. Valka stroked his face and kissed him lazily between heavy breaths, until they finally loosened their grip on each other enough to share dopey, satisfied smiles.

 _Eventually,_ they actually bathed, but Eret had been pretty sure Valka had ulterior motives when she first invited him along. Bath time was _their_ time. Mostly. Occasionally it was disturbed by dragons, but it was one of only about four places in the whole mountain dragons didn't frequent often.

Affectionate and cuddly, Valka settled between his legs and leant against his chest by the fire back in their room for a little while, and she hummed and sang here and there with no real intention behind it, just a little indicator of her good mood. He loved those moments, and the only thing he'd happily let those moments end for were dragons. Which was lucky for Tripfire, really, since she was rather intent on getting his attention just then.

* * *

It wasn't going to be the first time, but that didn't make it any more pleasant for Valka to know Eret was watching her as she vomited again. He didn't just see, he held her hair back and kept the bucket under her face until the heaving stopped.

"Yeah, you're not coming on the rescue."

"Eret!"

She tried to chastise him, but her voice was strained and her throat stinging. Eret rolled his eyes, holding a cup of water to her so Valka could drink. She rinsed her mouth and spat in the bucket, gingerly leaning back against the wall.

"Look, yes I wish you were coming, but you're sick and you need to rest. I'd rather be here taking care of you than just about anything, but this is a big drop and we can't afford not to interfere. Not with Drago consolidating his forces lately. So you are _staying,_ and resting."

The dragons weren't happy either; Cloudjumper wasn't going to go without her, which meant Tripfire had to go without him. And as much as she'd pretend otherwise, Tripfire adored Cloudjumper and would definitely miss her mate, especially in a firefight when they worked so beautifully in sync.

Her stomach still felt queasy, though Eret seemed fine and so Valka had to put it down to the food they ate on the market island the previous day, because that was the only time they hadn't eaten the same food, cooked at the same time in the same way in weeks. When she wasn't still sick, Valka considered going over and blowing up that stall.

Eret made up a pot of tea to help settle her stomach and left it steeping by the fire, and watered down the bone broth he'd just finished so it would be easier for her to keep down.

"Ok, I shouldn't be gone more than a day or two, so long as all of that gets heated up properly it should see you through til I come back. Cloudjumper, don't let her fly like this, ok? We don't want her falling."

Any other time, Eret giving such direct orders to her dragon would be met with far less acceptance, but the two were bonded in their efforts when it came to taking care of Valka.

It wasn't as though she didn't trust Eret; he was dedicated and capable, and determined to bring the dragons back safely. But he also had a knack for getting himself in to trouble, and she'd had to rescue him more than once over the years.

"I'll do the sick bay before I go, and the fish barrels are stocked so let the Bewilderbeast take them out for the flying meals, you can feed the ones that can't fly without risking falling out of the sky yourself."

"Yes, yes. I truly hate this."

"Me too" Eret knelt down, ignoring her bad breath as he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips "I wish you were coming with me, and I wish you weren't sick. But I can do this, and you need to rest. I'll come back, I swear."

He rested his forehead against hers, his skin warm against where hers was a little clammy. Eret wiped her face with a cool cloth, went and cleaned out the bucket for her before bringing it back, then filled a jug for the bedside with fresh water. It was heavy-bottomed like many of the things they made for the nest over the last couple of years, so they were less likely to be knocked over by passing dragons.

"You kids be good, alright? Valka needs to rest."

Eret bidding goodbye to the smallest Stormcutters in the nest was terribly sweet, followed by farewells for Alva and Vali. Tripfire rumbled and cooed at her offspring, then came over and offered Valka a 'get-well lick', as Eret called it, surreptitously giving her something to wipe her face with. She curled her fingers around his, looking up at Eret.

"Be safe."

"I will. I love you. Now rest, crazy dragon lady."

"I love you too, now go before I change my mind about letting you leave me here."

Eret chuckled, running fingers down her cheek softly before he turned and fixed his swords on to his armour, grabbing his helmet and heading off to do the injured and sick dragon check. She heard him go, the sound of a dozen dragons leaving with him to help.

Reluctantly, Valka stayed in bed and tried to sleep, hoping her stomach would settle. Cloudjumper wouldn't let her leave the nest as she was anyway, and if she fell off and hurt herself mid-flight, that was doing more harm than good.

Sleep helped a little, and when Valka got up and drank some of the tea Eret left for her, she felt steady enough to check the injured bay of dragons. She threw up in an empty pen, and regretfully went back to bed soon after.

Being away from Eret when they split up to chase seperate boat cargo was one thing, but him being gone from the nest felt eerily like those nights where she'd not known where he was, and it definitely made her anxious. Dutifully drinking lots of tea and water and forcing half a bowl of broth down when her stomach had stopped churning, Valka cursed her decision an hour later when she couldn't sleep in more than short bursts as she had to keep getting up to pee.

Tired and sick, Valka slept and rested as much as her usually-energetic body would allow, and with no real way to keep track of the time when she wasn't going outside, Valka only realised it had been a full two days when she heard the dragons leave to eat again. The actual sickness had abated, but she still felt quite drained. Hunting out some more substantial food than the broth, Valka offered a deal to Cloudjumper that they'd go looking for their respective mates if she kept it down. He probably wouldn't have agreed, but Cloudjumper was as keen to have Tripfire back as Valka was to have Eret back.

They weren't back by the late afternoon, and Valka had fitfully napped and kept down her food, so Cloudjumper reluctantly agreed they could go. Valka could hear _carefully_ in his reticent rumbling responses as she pulled on her armour, bidding Alva and Vali to keep their younger siblings in the nest.

"I know you want to come, but your mother would be very angry if you got hurt."

Cloudjumper helped her to convince them, and they sulked but stayed as Valka clambered up on Cloudjumper's back, down on one knee rather than standing tall for the added stability as they headed out, a handful of dragons with her just in case there was a fight that had waylaid their missing few.

They flew, but Valka noticed Cloudjumper was distracted before they'd even cleared the ice plains - a spot the Bewilderbeast had chilled, designed to slow any ships from getting too close as the ice took so long to thaw.

"What is it?"

He warbled, looking around them before he began to gain altitude. Valka frowned, confused, but then she heard it. For a second, her heart leapt before her mind realised the voice she heard yelling was not Eret's. and there was little cause for Eret to be so frustrated if he were almost home.

Which meant...

Valka shook her staff, then straightnened up as Cloudjumper began to climb higher, aiming for the cloud barrier where they heard the voice coming from. Her staff broke the cloud first, followed by she and Cloudjumper, his four-wing beating dispersing the thinner clouds with ease.

Though she herself was shocked, Valka wondered which of the two looking up at them were more surprised.

The _Night Fury_ , or his _rider._

-HTTYD-

**Finallyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, it's that time!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter thirty already... I didn't think it would take me this many chapters to get _here_ though.**

-HTTYD-

With the mystery rider clutched between the claws of her Shovelhelm, Valka led them back to the nest where she could figure them out. A _Night Fury..._ Valka was so wary of anyone around that species, because how were they alive out there without Grimmel or Drago hearing about it? What if they did know, and had opted to try and train their own dragon flyers to contend with Valka and Eret?

"You left my dragon back there! He can't fly on his own, he'll drown!"

She gave no sign she'd heard him - his voice made him sound younger than she had thought - as they approached the nest. There were Seashockers under the ice, the Night Fury would be fine if he _had_ fallen.

"We have to head back for my dragon!"

His urgency was somewhat surprising, but Valka knew the Night Fury would be safe, and there was every chance they were concerned about explaining to evil bosses that the dragon had been lost. Bidding Cloudjumper to stay back for the moment, as he was often the most short-tempered when it came to possible threats to Valka, she crouched amongst the dragons that circled the mystery rider. They would _never_ attack first, though if he threatened them, that rider stood no chance. Valka watched, curious and wary, as he looked all around him.

He seemed more afraid than she expected, but strong despite the fear. Valka watched him lure them with fire, even altering the scent of the air with... Zippleback gas, to make him seem more approachable, more dragon like.

And then he reached out his hand, approaching slowly, showing no hint of threat. Valka was reminded of when she first taught Eret how to approach dragons.

Valka climbed down, watching the rider watch her. She made him nervous, but he didn't run.

"Who are you? The dragon thief?" Valka cocked her head, wondering who he'd heard that from "Drago Bludvist?" Oh, she _almost_ laughed "Do you even understand what I'm saying?"

If he didn't know Drago, then it was unlikely that he... Valka signalled with her staff, and the Night Fury was dropped down next to the rider. They all but leapt toward each other, and he called the dragon _Toothless._ The Night Fury was as relieved as the human to see the other alright, even offering him an affectionate lick as they consoled one another.

She rattled, and the dragons lit the area all around so she could get a better look. As soon as Valka moved, the dragon curled his tail protectively around the rider, baring his teeth in warning. Valka dropped her staff and shield and crouched down, seeking to seem less threatening.

He still dropped just like any other Fury when Valka wanted him to, and that made his human very, _very_ nervous as Valka scuttled on toward him. He recoiled, visibly unnerved by her as Valka reached out. He leant away from her hand, and just as Valka was about to retreat, the firelight caught something on his chin.

_That scar..._

The memories of that night she lost her son rushed into her head, almost knocking Valka over as the impossibility of it all hit her.

"Hiccup?"

Her mask didn't entirely muffle her speech, and he heard her. There was a flash of recognition, and Valka really _looked_ at him. Her green eyes and long face and reddish-brown hair, but she could also see Stoick in him now she looked. She lifted her hands, and pulled off her helmet. She needed to see him properly.

"Could it be? After all these years... how is this possible?"

He didn't recognise her. Had no idea, but Valka's heart was thundering so loud in her chest it was amazing he couldn't hear it.

"Should I... should I know you?"

It _hurt,_ but Valka knew he wouldn't have remembered.

"No. You were only a babe..." his confusion did not abate, and Valka could barely look at him as she continued "but a mother never forgets."

He gasped, and so many emotions flashed across his face Valka panicked for a few beats. How could she ever explain...

Hiccup opened his mouth, and Valka did what she knew to do for spooked or upset baby dragons. Her human skills were rusty. Hushing him softly, she did the only thing she could think of.

"Come."

Was he like her? Had she been gone all along while Hiccup took after her?

He scrambled after her, shouting that he had questions and that everyone said she'd been killed and eaten by dragons... Valka would answer his questions, but first she needed him to _see_ the nest, so she could see just how like her he was, so he could see that she hadn't stayed away for nothing.

Though, as her son, Hiccup may well still feel like it wasn't reason enough, which he had every right to feel, and Valka would have to answer for that.

Shedding the top layer of her armour as it made climbing difficult, Valka sat up against the wall with Cloudjumper, so Hiccup could see the nest without distraction. It was almost feeding time, so the dragons were antsy, ready to go. The youngest hatchlings were still small, tumbling around under the watchful eye of nearby mothers.

Hiccup stared around in absolute wonder, looking from place to place as though worried he'd never take it all in. Valka watched, hungrily absorbing his reactions.

His dragon found them first, grizzling at the sight of Cloudjumper, who took Valka's gentle scratch against his neck as a sign to look more friendly and approachable, cocking his head and flaring his fins gently.

"This is where you've been for twenty years?" Valka nodded, watching him closely "You... you've been rescuing them."

Valka nodded again. Hiccup looked at the dragons again, voice lower.

"Unbelievable."

"You're not upset?"

He certainly had the right to be.

"What? No. I-I don't know. It's a bit much to get my head around, to be frank. It's not every day you find out your mother is some kind of crazy, feral vigilante dragon lady."

Hiccup spoke with his whole body, shoulders bobbing, hands moving, head up and down like he was torn between looking at her and looking away to process it all. Cloudjumper felt her move, lifting his wings to help her down.

"Well... at least I'm not boring, right?"

"No. I suppose there is that one specific thing."

Oh, his tone worried her, even as he turned to placate the curious dragon approaching him.

"Do you... do you like it?"

Much as she wanted to give him space, give him time, Valka couldn't help but creep closer, devouring every detail of her grown up sons face. He'd been a small babe, but it seemed he had never gained his fathers bulk, long and wiry like her.

"I don't have the words..."

Before Valka could answer him, 'Toothless' grumbled in discontent as the nosy, rather impolite dragons crowded him a bit, one going so far as to sniff the Night Fury in a way that particular species tended not to do. She laughed, but Hiccup was clearly concerned for his dragon.

"Can... can I?"

She gestured, and Hiccup gave a half-gesture she hoped was agreement.

"Oh, he's _beautiful!"_ and he was, those sleek black scales and big bright eyes, snuffling her hand for her scent before allowing Valka to touch him, bumping his face against hers affectionately before scrambling around excitedly, rolling half onto his back over her lap "incredible... he might very well be the last of his kind! And look" Valka counted the little nubs under his jaw, remembering all the Night Furies she'd seen before "he's your age!"

"Wow..."

It was soft, but Hiccup sounded impressed. Valka hoped he would give her the time to show him more. Even now, Valka found herself learning as Toothless opened his mouth and pulled his teeth away, smile gummy and soft.

"How did you manage..."

Even if Hiccup had her dragons heart all along, a Night Fury was a rare, and sometimes tempermental species. How had Hiccup tamed and trained one all alone?

"I found him in the woods. He was shot down, wounded."

That explained the bola scars she'd seen, Valka frowned to herself. Gesturing to the nearest injured dragons, Valka explained to Hiccup.

"This Snafflefang lost his leg to one of Drago Bludvist's iron traps. This Raincutter had her wing sliced by razor netting. And this poor Hobblegrunt was blinded by a tree snare, and left to die alone and scared."

Finding her scent and shifting colour to happy and relaxed, Gruff nuzzled Valka's hands and let her stroke his jaw, obviously hearing the pain in her voice as she remembered how badly injured he was and seeking to alleviate it.

"And what of this?" Valka knelt down, gentle with the prosthetic tailfin as she lifted it "did Drago or his trappers do this too?"

Suddenly, Hiccup looked rather nervous again.

"Crazy thing is... _I'm_ actually the one who shot him down..." Valka frowned, watching the dragon eye Hiccup's awkward shuffling "but its ok!"

Valka recoiled. _How_ was that ok?

"He got me back! Right bud? You couldn't save all of me, you just had to make it even! So... peg leg!"

Hiccup gestured down at his own prosthetic leg, which Valka hadn't quite registered in her own shock yet. Toothless boosted Hiccup back up onto his saddle, both responding to each other in an affectionate manner.

She wasn't sure if she could ask about how he lost his leg, feeling as though demanding his life history was a little much just yet.

"So... mom?"

Valka almost choked at the sound of that word, hesitant and strange on his tongue by the way he said it. But _gods,_ she'd never thought she would hear that word from Hiccup...

"Yes, Hiccup?"

"What happened? Everyone said you were dead, lost in the raids."

Cloudjumper was edging closer, warbling low in his throat as he approached. Valka leant more on her staff, swallowing around the lump in her throat as that night haunted her memories all over again.

Hiccup leant in, listening avidly as Valka relived it, fingers coming up to brush the little scar on his chin when Valka mentioned how he got it, that curious little giggling babe who didn't think the dragon was scary.

How did she not know _then?_

"How did you survive?"

"Oh, Cloudjumper never meant to harm me. He must have thought I belonged here" Valka beckoned Hiccup to follow her, Cloudjumper trotting alongside and Toothless following "in the home of the great Bewilderbeast. The Alpha species, and one of the very few that still exist. Every nest has its queen, but this is the _king_ of all dragons. With his icy breath, this graceful giant built our nest. A safe haven for dragons everywhere."

Hiccup looked at the Alpha, obviously surprised by his great size and she wasn't surprised, even Titan species were rarely so massive. Only a very few could sustain such growth, and Valka couldn't remember the last time she'd come across a Brute size dragon, even with nesting queens.

"Wow."

"We all live under his care, and his command. Except for the babies of course, who listen to no-one!"

She giggled as the baby Scuttleclaws scampered around, chased away from Toothless by Cloudjumper and all landing upon the Alpha, who shook them off with all the paience of a father. Valka bowed as the Alpha rose, the dragons following suit but Hiccup looked up, facing him without having to be told, though his face was utterly awestruck. She hoped the Alpha could recognise her son as hers, and was relieved when he breathed out that little puff of ice, snowflakes forming over Hiccup's hair.

"Ah, he likes ya."

"Really?"

Valka nodded as he brushed the ice away, smiling.

"I've lived among them for twenty years, discovering their secrets, learning their ways... are you hungry?"

He blinked at the change, but nodded.

"Yeah, I could eat."

"Good. It's feeding time. We just need to collect the young ones."

"Kids?"

"Yes. Cloudjumpers... wait here a minute?"

Hiccup nodded again, face pulled together in confusion as he saw Valka trail off, thinking hard all of a sudden.

Stormcutters. Tripfire. She'd been going to look for Eret when she found Hiccup. He wasn't back yet. So Valka hastened back up to her room, where four young Stormcutters waited anxiously, having made quite a mess of blankets and pillows in their boredom it seemed. Valka pushed the mess to the side, having Cloudjumper instruct them they were going out to eat.

Then she found a few of the better tracking dragons, and offered them something of her lovers clothing, a mix of his own scent and Tripfire's from all the times she licked him, keeping her panic at bay but only just.

She couldn't _leave_ Hiccup, but going to look for Eret might put her son in danger. So Valka's only options were just to wait, which was not in her nature, or to send out scouts to find them and maybe help if they were stuck somewhere.

Valka sincerely hoped she wasn't sending new dragons straight in to Drago's arms if they were trapped, promising herself she'd go if there was no sign by tomorrow, torn as the choice had her.

"Oh wow, baby Cloudjumpers!"

Hiccup lit up at the sight, laughing as they sniffed and huffed and explored the new person, looking to Valka for an explanation.

"This is my son, Hiccup. Hiccup, this is Alva and Vali, and that's Storm and Junior."

Out of habit with Eret or plain madness, Valka wasn't sure, but she reached for Hiccup's hand to lead him and he let her, following her until they were ready to saddle up and head outside. She took him to the current feeding spot, and he looked quite confused but watched on as he saw her stand atop Cloudjumper, no saddle or grips to keep her there, only trust in her dragon and years of practice.

"I thought we were going to eat?"

"Oh, we are!"

Holding her hand out to still them, Valka looked down pointedly, Hiccup following suit. Soon enough the Bewilderbeast appeared, throwing fish up into the air all around them and she couldn't help but laugh at Hiccup's absolutely bewildered face.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, Hiccup seemed keen on showing _her_ things, pulling out a map he'd made of all the areas he found around Berk. Valka drew her own map to match, though her scale was a little grander - she'd been all around the world, so many times.

"There."

"Whoa."

He actually smiled up at her, and Valka's heart soared. Even when Toothless sort of ruined the map with an icicle, but Hiccup's face suggested it was something he did sometimes and she chuckled along with him. Cloudjumper was rather baffled by it all, but he was showing some tolerance toward Toothless and soon after, Storm and Junior scrambled along to help 'draw' until her map was unrecognisable, but the babes were happy so that was all that mattered.

"Come with me, I want to show you something."

They didn't go far, but she couldn't stop laughing at their faces when they floated over the updrafts, Hiccup barely holding on to his saddle while Toothless' tongue lolled up, both smiling. It had taken a while for Valka to learn her balance there, and standing up was much easier than lying down to resist the upward force.

Hiccup watched her all the while as Valka stepped carefully from dragon to dragon, stroking them gratefully and smiling as they grumbled happily. She could hear Alva and Vali and Storm and Junior letting out their little dragon-laughs, their childlike wonder for the updrafts not faded yet.

She dared to ruffle her hand through his hair when she leapt over him on Toothless' back, and still he smiled, something in Valka so very happy to see Hiccup responding as she did to all the ways that helped bond with dragons; touch and flight and food, no trace of animosity or resentment in his face as she slipped down from his dragons wing, landing safely upon a waiting Cloudjumper's back.

"When I'm up here, I don't even feel the cold, I just feel..."

"Free."

He finished, both of them sharing a smile at the way he finished her sentence, knowing how she felt.

"This is what it is to be a dragon, Hiccup!"

Hiccup moved then, fiddling with his saddle and the system he used to control Toothless' tailfin - she'd not missed how it worked with his own prosthetic, their losses bonding them uniquely - before he was grinning up at her.

"It's all well and good to call yourself a dragon, but can you fly?"

And with that, he literally leapt off the back of his dragon. Valka's heart leapt up into her throat, gasping in panic but before she could do more than lean over Cloudjumper, he spread his arms. Or rather, his _wings,_ pulling fabric from his clothes that had him soar through the air with joyful laughs she couldn't help but copy.

She made to have Cloudjumper help when he almost crashed, but Toothless beat them to it and they both landed in the snow, Hiccup absolutely giddy as he leapt up only to be knocked down by Toothless again in indignation. Valka skipped over the snow to reach him, examining the wings he wore up close in awe, the fin on his back to help him steer like a dragon would.

"Incredible..."

"Well, you're not bad yourself."

He didn't stop Valka, who couldn't quite help herself from patting down his suit, seeing all the little bits and pieces there were, hand touching his face before she could stop herself. She withdrew, but Hiccup didn't seem upset, so she dared to try again. Like any other dragon would, he leant into her hand, eyes closed in relaxation.

Tears stinging her eyes, Valka felt a smile spread across her face as she took him in, no recoiling like before when they hadn't known who the other was.

"All this time you took after me... and where was I?" guilt clutched at her, gripping fiercely around her heart but this wasn't about _her_ anymore "I'm so sorry Hiccup."

His smile faded somewhat, but he didn't push her away like she kept exxpecting him to.

"Why did you stay away?"

"Truly, I believed you would be safer if I did. I knew I could never hurt a dragon, so how could I ever hope to raise a man who killed them with pride? What if I couldn't protect you? Cloudjumper meant no harm, even when I _tried_ to threaten him to protect you then, but you could have died in that fire, and it would have been _my_ fault."

His mouth tightened, but he nodded slowly.

"Will you teach me what you know about dragons?"

Valka knew that wasn't the end of it - a few sentences could never encompass the two decades of motherhood she'd denied him or all the years of loss and grief left in their seperation, but she'd give Hiccup _anything_ to earn another chance with him.

"Everything I know. Like this."

Night Furies were an absolute puzzle box, and Valka doubted they'd discovered this yet. Toothless had to have been alone for some time though, as it was usually passed on through packs. Trailing her fingers down his head, she pressed on the right spot at the top of his spine, and sure enough his back shifted so one nubby spine became two, allowing for better control in the air.

"Now, you can make those tight turns."

Toothless seemed almost as surprised as Hiccup, leaping over to show them off.

"Did you know about this?"

Toothless responded by clapping them together and grinning gummily - Valka had never seen a Night Fury retract their teeth before, and had assumed they must have shed them regularly when she encountered several with barren gums while others had full sets. So he taught her, and she taught him.

"Every dragon has its secrets, and I'll show them all to you. We could unlock every mystery, find every last species. Together, as mother and son?"

It had seemed like an impossible hope only days ago, but with him there in front of her, every bit the dragon lover she was, Valka dared to think he might give her that chance. She couldn't imagine he'd fared much better on Berk than she, if he couldn't kill a dragon. Was he an outcast? Isolated? _Exiled,_ even? She'd found him pretty far from Berk, after all. Hel, he'd almost found the nest by himself, he wasn't that far and if he'd been flying below the cloudline, he'd likely have spotted it in almost no time at all.

"Yeah, that sounds... amazing!"

Valka beamed.

"This gift we share Hiccup... it bonds us. This is who you are, son. Who _we_ are. We could change the world for all dragons, make it a better, safer place!"

Hiccup ran his hands through his hair, and there was a brief hint of wetness in his eyes, but then he was agreeing so enthusiastically Valka couldn't help but hug him. He hesitated for a second, but then he held her just as close, squeezing back when Valka's arms tightened around him, smiling so widely her cheeks hurt.

"Come on, we should be getting back, the babes can't stay out here too long."

Hiccup looked to where Alva and Vali were chasing their younger siblings through the snow, Cloudjumper keeping a watchful eye as they shook off snow caught behind their horns, chirping up at their papa until he nuzzled them softly.

She lit the fire when they got back to warm their chilled hands, flexing her fingers with thoughts of the gloves she hadn't remembered, which inevitably meant thinking about Eret.

Then they shed some of the layers of armour, Hiccup having to unstrap several parts of his to slide them off, before they sat out near the Bewilderbeast's lake and _talked._ He had questions, _so_ many questions and Valka strived to answer them all. He was more than old enough, and so they shared a couple of drinks to warm them inside, to help ease the sharpness of some of their conversations.

Both avoided the topic of Stoick; Valka was too ashamed of being absent when Hiccup lost his father, and perhaps Hiccup just wasn't old enough when Stoick died to have many memories of him either.

"Does Cloudjumper have a mate?"

"Oh, yes. Her name is Tripfire, and it took him quite a while to win her over, but she came around in the end and they'd had their two clutches of eggs now."

"So where is she? I haven't seen another adult... what species is he?"

"Stormcutter. And Tripfire is... busy. She should be back soon."

Hiccup frowned.

"Busy? Mother dragons rarely stray from their young unless it's for a damn good reason."

"Yes, and it was a good reason. We're forever fighting Drago, she's on a raid. Although she _should_ have been back by now..."

He cocked his head, looking her over.

"You're worried."

"I am."

"Then why not go look for her?"

"I was, but then..."

"You found me."

Valka nodded. Hiccup sighed.

"Then we should go look for her now. Especially since I was looking for Drago anyway."

"You _what?_ "

"Yeah, I'm gonna go change his mind about dragons."

Valka blinked, thinking surely she must have misheard him.

"Hiccup, there's no changing _Drago's_ mind."

"But-"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by him yawning, and Valka realised it had been a rather draining, _long_ day for them.

"Rest. We will go searching for Tripfire when you wake."

Frowning slightly, Hiccup didn't argue, curling up where he laid in a manner that said he was used to sleeping where he landed. Toothless padded over, lying next to him as if to provide comfort, or perhaps warmth, although the centre of the nest wasn't cold by any means.

Valka got up and left him there when she saw he'd fallen asleep, doubting she'd be able to get any rest herself when her body and mind were so wired but it gave her a moment to sort out her thoughts. Plus, she thought Hiccup might find it weird if she sat and watched him sleep, much as she wanted to.

_Hiccup._ Her son! He was there, and real, and he was _just like her_. So, so like her. Her fingers hovered over the desk, where his twenty years of birthday letters waited. Was now the right time to give them to him? Probably not. It had been intensely emotional already, and he already knew she'd not forgotten him. They could wait a day or so. He'd already said he wanted to help her, so Valka would have other chances.

Just like she'd have the chance to tell him about Eret. It hadn't seemed the time before; they were filling in twenty years of missed time, and Eret was a fairly recent development by contrast.

She didn't sleep, but Valka did sit by the fire with Cloudjumper, the Stormcutter younglings napping nearby. After all the time she'd hoped to reconnect with her son someday, she'd been completely and utterly unprepared for it.

Eventually, Valka got up to go and check on the sick bay, tending to a few dragons in emotional distress over their injuries and doing her best to soothe them until they settled. Would she be able to show all of this to Hiccup now? Would she see him ambling around the nest, helping to tend to them the way she taught him to?

It seemed too good to be true.

Valka headed back to where she'd left him, but Hiccup wasn't there. Assuming he'd woken and gone exploring - maybe for the bathroom? - Valka went in search of him, Cloudjumper snuffling at the ground and indicating he found Toothless' scent. After a few twists and turns, she heard his voice.

Who was he talking to? Toothless?

Following the echoes, Valka came out in one of the emptier chambers, and stopped dead at the sight that greeted her. Gobber looked as thunderstruck to see her as she was to see him (how the _Hel_ had he gotten there, let alone in?), but he didn't say a word. To her, anyway. He turned away, and she didn't quite pick up what he said, but her whole body went weak with shock at who appeared when Gobber moved aside.

He couldn't be there. He was _dead._

"Stoick?"

-HTTYD-

**Well, there's no way this can go sideways right?**


End file.
